Rugby Union Six Nations Betting

England France Match Preview

England France Match Preview sees England (15/8) take on a confident French side (2/5), knowing that only a victory against the Grand Slam favourites will give them a chance of making a real Six Nations stand. England captain and prop Phil Vickery told BBC Radio Five Live: "I don't believe that we have actually laid our cards on the table yet. There are a lot of people in the last-chance scenario and it is up to us to go and perform this weekend.".

Failing to beat Wales on day one and scraping past Italy in Rome has left England as 6/1 outside favourites to lift the Six Nations trophy for the first time since World Cup winning year 2003. Meanwhile a young and re-energised French side under Marc Lievremont has confidently dispatched Scotland and Ireland – and is 4/7 on to take the championship. Wales, second-half slayers of England, are 11/4 second favourites to repeat their 2005 heroics and take the title.

Playing in Paris should not serve to intimidate Bryan Ashton's side, after England's battling 14-9 victory in the recent World Cup semi-final. And the previous competitive game between the two, last year's Six Nations clash at Twickenham, ended in a 26-18 victory for England.

However, England have not crossed the channel and returned victorious in the Six Nations since 2001, suffering a hefty 25 point defeat at the last attempt in 2005. A repeat French victory by a 21-25 point margin is 11/1, while a narrower 16–20 point triumph for the in-form team is only 9/1.

But with Phil Vickery and fellow prop Andrew Sheridan returning from injuries to link arms and lock horns alongside hussling hooker Mark Regan, England could rediscover the battling forward power that silenced Paris in the World Cup and take on France's powerful pack. Another tight victory for England (1-5 point margin) is 7/1, while a 6-10 point margin is 10/1.

A new expansive approach from the French has seen the side notch up seven tries to England's three. Toulousain winger Vincent Clerc has a remarkable five tries to his name in two matches, making him an obvious 8/1 shot at first tryscorer. Meanwhile inside centre Toby Flood (14/1) could be England's key man and a good bet for first man to puncture the Parisian try-line. The youngster has started to upstage Jonny Wilkinson as England's master of ceremonies, and alongside his two tries in this campaign, scored 14 points to consign the French to defeat at last year's Twickenham clash. Alternatively, reliable Paul Sackey is 11/1 to shoot in from the wing and make a gash in the Gallic goal-line.

In the last two matches England have faded badly in the second half, allowing Wales to steal the points at Twickenham, and allowing Italy to narrow the deficit from 14 to four points. England are 5/1 to squander half-time advantage and succumb to the French; 8/1 has France to capitulate and allow England a repeat of the world-cup heroics that saw Ashton's side overcome a half-time deficit.

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