Match thread

sparky

Game happening on Saturday at Twickenham with the kick off time of 15:15 BST. It's forecast to be over 30 Celsius in West London on Saturday afternoon.

Rumour has it that this will be the French team.

sparky

It would be an interesting decision to play a Lock at 7.......

@sparky Been watching a fair bit of Top14 this year (to see if it's as amazing as the NH fans make out).

Guillard is a fantastic lock/blindside. Very strange to see him line-up at 7 though. The French might be high on their own kool-aid?

I think it'll be Mathis Castro-Ferreira at 7 once the tour starts.

ARHS

Canadians might be a bit upset

Catogrande

@hikastags

I’m not sure if is still the case but the French, like the Saffers, had their openside as a 6 and the blind side as a 7. That might account for it.

Mr Fish

@Catogrande Think they technically do left and right flankers, so a bit different.

sparky

The England XV to take on the France XV in the heat on Saturday has been named.

Catogrande

@sparky

A bit light in the second row and a mix of young and possibly past his best at centre but given the green-ness of the French team we should be favourites.

Cue a thrashing by some brilliant unheard of Frenchies.

ARHS

England or England A is capture team. England XV is not

sparky

France XV to play an England XV tomorrow in an uncapped game has been released. Quite a lot of players there I am not familiar with to be honest.

sparky

France leading 12-0 after scoring two tries at Twickenham in the first ten minutes.

sparky

The game is freely available on YouTube:

sparky

12-7 after 20 minutes. Very lengthy water break.

sparky

There's a female ref, which is a victory for feminism I guess, but goodness me she likes the sound of her whistle and her own voice.

sparky

Twickenham must be a third full.

A big English lock crash over. 12-12.

sparky

Filthy high tackle by Feyi-Wabaso. YC and a review. Should be upgraded to a Red.

sparky

Upgraded to a red and rightly so. There needs to be a lengthy ban too. That sort of crap has no place in the game.

sparky

Nice try by England. 17-12.

sparky

Half time England 19 France 12. England will play the rest of the game with 14.

Bones

@sparky fuck thank you! Rugbypass is a fucking atrocious disaster.

sparky

Attisogbe doing well at Fullback for France and Le Garrac has a good box kick. Not much on show from them beyond that.

sparky

Seb Atkinson's having a good game at 12 for England. Baxter, George, Coles and Willis going well in their forwards.

sparky

Attisogbe hooked at half time. The French are treating this like a training run.

sparky

Lots of English fatties struggling in the heat.

Le Garrac's boot is excellent.

Bones

Has the ref been decent, or are we virtue signalling?

sparky

The French are taking a battering in the scrums.

sparky

@Bones I think she's done okay. Not international standard in terms of where she's standing and looking, but she's methodical and clear.

sparky

Some French magic and Le Garrac is in. He's certain to feature in the NZ series.

sparky

Try wiped out. Is Hollie about to card the wrong player? It was 20 Blue, not 21 Blue.

sparky

Woki walks, although Hollie Davison called out the wrong number.

sparky

England score after very poor French defence. 24-12.

sparky

And another lengthy water break. England up to 15 after the 20-minute red card. England should run out daily easy winners in the last 20 minutes.

sparky

Woki upgraded by The Bunker to a 20-minute Red. That might cost him a place on the NZ tour.

France to have 14 for most of the rest of the game.

sparky

France awarded a try. Good use of the TMO by Ref Hollie to confirm her on-field decision.

sparky

Kick good. England 24 France 19 with four minutes to go.

sparky

France back to 15. 90 seconds to go.

sparky

Time up. France with a lineout 5 out.

sparky

France steal it at the death!