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Six NationsEnglandFrance

Vakatawa returns as France make four changes for England

(Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

French offensive weapon Virimi Vakatawa will start against England in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations match against France at Twickenham, after making his return to the starting side after an injury layoff.

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Vakatawa is one of four changes to the French from the side which beat Ireland in Dublin three weekends ago.

Vakatawa was ruled out of action in January. Romain Ntamack is also set to make his return to the side, should head coach Fabien Galthie spring him from the bench.

Utility forward Bernard Le Roux misses out with a muscle strain and is replaced in the engine rooms by Romain Taofifenua.

Damian Penaud replaces Gabin Villiere on the wing. Toulon revealed that the Villiere is to undergo surgery on his handy following an injury sustained against Racing 92 in the Top 14.

Meanwhile England have named Max Malins at full-back in place of Elliot Daly.

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Comments on RugbyPass

L
LV 9 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

Another poorly written article. Well done Ben, keep up the good work!

31 Go to comments
C
CC 11 minutes ago
Cheslin Kolbe backed to end 16-year wait

Thanks Steve D

12 Go to comments
S
SteveD 14 minutes ago
'Lightweight' Premiership not preparing England players for Test rugby

Too many pampered, precious Posh Boys who think the sun shines out of their backsides?

14 Go to comments
O
OJohn 14 minutes ago
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Nothing would have been better. In the last 6 months of McKenzie's coaching, the Wallabies were really starting to hum. They were playing some brilliant rugby, even with no Pocock and came so close to winning the Bledisloe Cup. Only 3 points short I think.


Schmidt is a competent coach and after Jones destroying the Wallabies moral with picking useless Tah players (Bell is very good) any coach could have improved the Wallabies. We have achieved nothing so far really.

9 Go to comments
S
SteveD 21 minutes ago
Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

I'm afraid Gatland lost my respect with his uncalled for comments earlier in the year and his whinging about the so-called Boks' bad attitude in the Lions' 2021 tour. I also think he's not done my '6 nations' team much good this time round and they'll be well rid of him with his dated approach.

22 Go to comments
S
SteveD 31 minutes ago
Cheslin Kolbe backed to end 16-year wait

(Erm, quietly, he's Irish)

12 Go to comments
A
Ardy 31 minutes ago
'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

He's coaching like Eddie V2 did in Australia...You need someone with bigger balls and an understanding of what to do to improve what is going on. It is a dynamic environment that is constantly changing as coaches dream up new ways to win. He is like an automaton of Eddie's creation.

12 Go to comments
A
Ardy 36 minutes ago
'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

Only if you think like the org writer ie Except for Elon Musk, he is perhaps the least popular South African ~ Which is a shame for a man who is so clearly sensitive and introspective.


Does he know Rassie personally or is this just a woke joke

12 Go to comments
A
Ardy 43 minutes ago
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Not my perception John, I think he is trying to develop a settled team but also needs players with some experience to step in if we get some injuries. As an example, someone said today we are only 2 injuries to THP's away from a nightmare situation. We have double the LHP's to THP's.

None of this is going to convince you. I was hoping Ewen would step in before we employed the nasty little toad who stuffed up Aussie scrummaging and lineouts in 2003, the effects of which we have lived with for 20 years.

9 Go to comments
J
Johnny 1 hour ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

Great article! So controversial it will no doubt get suckers to comment and raise clicks and views!!! Its by design that Ben writes such biased and skewed opinioned articles to get the anger and shock affect. Great marketing

31 Go to comments
H
Head high tackle 1 hour ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

Are Leinster etc all releasing their players for Ireland?

186 Go to comments
H
Head high tackle 1 hour ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

Nick its not shallow and unobservant. We have all watched him play and Ive probably seen all 30 tests he has played, but reality is he has only played 30 tests in 11 seasons and thats not the record of a great player. Yes he has been OS a lot but thats possibly part of the criticisim of him. He has been available for Aus based on the Wallabies selection policy for those whole 11 seasons.

Im more than happy to call him a very good club player but I think his test career shows what his level is. Probably would have played 60-70 tests by now had he stayed in SR but tbh NH rugby is far more suitable for him. He is a bit like Tuipolotu is for NZ. Gets better with maturity, but never quite nailed the test spot down in their younger days. Both are better now than earlier in their careers. Perhaps his best for Aus will prove to be from now thru to the 2027 WC in Aus.

186 Go to comments
D
DC000 1 hour ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

SH rugby is dying. To win, the teams have had to rely on the incompetence of the refs.


You had a good run, but hopefully world rugby gets better standards for refs and your slide to irrelevance will be quick and justified.

31 Go to comments
H
Head high tackle 1 hour ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

I dont believe Skelton has ever proven himself at test level tho Nick. Yep he played well against a side they scored plenty against but his record v the top sides isnt special. Good quality player but Im not as convinced about him as you seem to be, as you base most of your opinion on his local club stuff not really his test performances. His test record of 30 tests in 10 years explains itself very well. I think he is an honest performer but certainly not a top notch International player.

186 Go to comments
H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

I wonder Jake, who do you think is the best fit for Australia as a coach? Not since Joe Schmidt took over as coach did Australia look any good, however, there is always this debate around not having an Aussie coach by the fans and so called pundits and old players.


Some of them are changing their minds now however, but I would love to see who you would choose. I think Joe Schmidt is an excellent coach, who puts in everything for the team he is coaching. To him, there is no such thing as being biased.

9 Go to comments
H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
Rob Howley: Warren Gatland is 'the best coach in the world'

Except for the 6N he has won nothing. No WC's, no Lions tours not anything. He is ranked even behind Eddie Jones, who has won a WC with SA and have a better victory rate than Gatland. Keep your so called "best coach" in the world. No one but Wales wants him. A very harsh Hell No comes to mind if anyone asks if they would want Gatland as head coach.


Guess the man is wearing blinders. Rob Howley is howling mad describing Gatland as the best. What a load of 💩

3 Go to comments
O
OJohn 2 hours ago
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Probably partly true but we in fact have plenty of talent, we just can't get a kiwi coach to put our best team on the field. Just like Deans and just like Rennie. And he keeps changing the team so Australian players can't get settled. Just like Deans and just like Rennie

9 Go to comments
O
OJohn 2 hours ago
David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Which Australian coaches would be acceptable to coach the All Blacks ?

23 Go to comments
O
OJohn 2 hours ago
David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Well we will never develop them either if we keep giving the job to kiwis. Over and over and over. Which suits the Tahs because they know they can control them.

23 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

I've read lots of discussions about it here and on other site and the context I understood was he only just missed the cut (like lots of good players did).


It is easy to construe that he was told he wasn't going to be chosen at his current weight, but I'd say that his weight was just the reason he was given why he wasn't chosen over other players (who went on to be very good themselves).

307 Go to comments
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