England captain Maro Itoje has insisted physicality is “non-negotiable” as his aspect look to revive their Six Nations marketing campaign in opposition to France at Twickenham on Saturday.
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France opened this yr’s version with a 43-0 rout of Wales in Paris final Friday the place they scored seven tries.
And but for all France captain and scrum-half star Antoine Dupont is the headline act, Les Bleus additionally boast a colossal pack that includes large forwards in lock Emmanuel Meafou and prop Uini Atonio.
Itoje, himself a second row, is aware of England should win the competition up entrance if his second match as England skipper, however first at Twickenham, would not go the way in which of his first final week’s 27-22 loss to Eire in Dublin.
“The non-negotiable, first and foremost, is the physicality,” Itoje, 30, stated after coach Steve Borthwick named his aspect to play the French.
“You need to make sure you’re physical, that you’re winning that gain-line because they are a team that if you allow them to do that then they become difficult.
“We wish to be aggressive as a crew, getting off the road and hitting them and stopping them of their tracks. That is our mindset. They are a massive, heavy crew, they maul round a few of their massive boys however from my standpoint we have to get caught into that.”
England have lost their last seven Tests against leading nations and Itoje, who has succeeded Saracens team-mate Jamie George as England captain, said: “It’s a massive recreation, it’s massive event and we wish to win.
“The team wants to move forward, the team wants to win and to be the team we want to be, these are the games we have to win.”
Fly-half Fin Smith has been given a primary Check begin by Borthwick, who’s as impressed by the 22-year-old’s “tough and brave” defence as his playmaking talent.
Itoje, who has confronted Smith in membership motion, added: “He’s a cool, calm, collected sort of player. He makes a lot of good decisions.
“As a ten, you wish to power them to make poor selections and he’s fairly difficult to try this in opposition to as a result of he usually finds the correct cross or makes the correct resolution within the kicking recreation.
“When I listen to him speak I’m surprised that he is only 22. He’s ready and I’m excited to see him go.”
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