Six Nations 2023: England v France - five key battles at Twickenham

England's hopes of claiming France's Six Nations rubric are inactive intact - albeit Ireland stay beardown favourites - but wherever volition they request to summation the borderline to unafraid triumph astatine Twickenham connected Saturday?

BBC Sport takes a look astatine 5 cardinal battles.

Marcus Smith v Romain Ntamack

One of the large talking points of the Borthwick reign truthful acold is who would play astatine fly-half. Marcus Smith started the decision against Scotland earlier Owen Farrell moved from wrong centre to reclaim the fig 10 jersey for the wins implicit Italy and Wales.

But it hasn't rather produced the fluidity Borthwick would person hoped for and the experienced Farrell has not been astatine his best. He kicked the shot distant excessively often against Italy and missed 4 attempts astatine extremity successful Cardiff.

Captain Farrell's below-par performances person meant England's questions implicit 10 remain, and Smith has been fixed the motion for 'Le Crunch'- aft impressing connected nine work for Harlequins.

Smith is susceptible of penetrating immoderate defence with his acceleration and distribution, portion the physicality and hard moving lines of Ollie Lawrence astatine 12 should assistance the Quins prima play to his strengths.

France person nary specified enactment issues and Romain Ntamack is simply a classy relation with an attacking flair who volition beryllium looking to bring the va-va-voom to westbound London.

Only Finn Russell (four) has made much assists than Ntamack (two) successful the 2023 Six Nations. The Frenchman has terrific balance, footwork and organisation successful a well-oiled half-back pairing with Antoine Dupont.

His footwear is besides a limb arsenic helium produced 2 pin-point cross-field kicks for Thomas Ramos and Ethan Dumortier to people successful the triumph implicit Italy.

Jack van Poortvliet v Antoine Dupont

Jack van Poortvliet has been England's archetypal prime scrum-half successful this year's Six Nations but is yet to deed the heights successful his fledgling planetary career.

The Leicester subordinate won the Premiership nether Borthwick's tutelage past season. He present has 10 caps nether his loop but the measurement up to Test level has not been an casual 1 and astatine Twickenham connected Saturday, helium faces the champion successful the world.

Antoine Dupont has been determination and done that, and continues to bash truthful astatine the highest level.

The France skipper is the tournament's starring points scorer (45) aft 3 games and is associated 2nd for the astir assists (two).

Add to that a combined full of 315 metres made, which is the 3rd highest, and you rapidly realise that astir of what France bash good goes done their diminutive talisman.

In contrast, England person adopted a pragmatic approach, which appears to beryllium serving them good with 2 wins successful their caller matches.

Van Poortvliet has kicked the shot connected 16 occasions successful hunt of territory - lone Scotland's Finn Russell has enactment footwear to shot much (18).

When helium moves the shot quickly, arsenic helium did successful the build-up to Anthony Watson's effort against Wales, England tin origin defences problems. Twickenham volition privation to spot much of the aforesaid against Dupont's France.

Ellis Genge v Dorian Aldegheri

Ellis Genge has been a standout performer for England successful this title and helium is rewarded for his signifier with the captaincy successful Farrell's lack from the starting XV.

The dynamic prop has tirelessly scrummaged, tackled and carried with existent intensity. He continues to turn connected and disconnected the tract and is seen arsenic a genuine person of Borthwick's side.

He has made 38 carries successful 3 games with lone Italy's Sebastian Negri (41), Ireland's Caelan Doris (41) and Russell (45) having made more.

France are successful disarray astatine tight-head prop with Uini Atonio and Mohamed Haouas some banned, truthful Dorian Aldegheri volition marque his archetypal Six Nations start.

Aldegheri has not played for France for 2 years but has jumped successful beforehand of Sipili Falatea, who has been connected the seat for the holders' erstwhile 3 games.

The prop has been a regular for Toulouse and helium volition enactment up alongside club-mates Cyril Baille and Julien Marchand successful the beforehand row, but the measurement up to Test level is simply a large one, and you tin expect Genge to beryllium fired up and looking to people his hostile successful his archetypal scrum arsenic England skipper.

Maro Itoje v Thibaud Flament

When available, Maro Itoje has been practically un-droppable since making his England debut successful 2016.

The Saracens fastener struggled successful the opening-game decision by Scotland but improved against Italy and continued his resurgence successful Cardiff.

His harmless hands and enactment are important successful the line-out and helium has made much palmy tackles than immoderate different England subordinate (48).

The occupation for England, is the subordinate starring the tackle number successful this tourney is his other fig Thibaud Flament (58).

The fastener thrives connected taking interaction successful defence and onslaught and is simply a wide nuisance successful unfastened play, arsenic shown erstwhile helium charged down Stephen Varney's attempted clearance to people France's archetypal effort of their rubric defence successful Rome.

Expect a fearsome conflict successful the loose.

Alex Dombrandt v Gregory Alldritt

Alex Dombrandt seems to person made the fig 8 berth his own.

With Billy Vunipola not favoured by Borthwick, the Quins antheral has taken his tally to 12 caps and is starring from the beforehand with shot successful manus and astatine the breakdown.

Dombrandt has carried connected 36 occasions, with lone Genge carrying much successful an England shirt, and helium threw the last walk for Watson's effort against Wales. He has been arsenic influential successful defence and has won a team-high 3 turnovers.

Opposite fig Gregory Alldritt has been astatine the pinnacle for a portion but helium is not enjoying his astir stellar tournament.

A team-leading 72 metres gained successful the triumph implicit Italy was followed by a mistake astatine the breakdown which led to Ireland's 3rd effort arsenic France's 14-game winning tally came to an end.

He was past sacrificed aboriginal connected arsenic the champions were forced into a reshuffle aft Haouas's sending disconnected against the Scots.

Perhaps this is simply a bully clip to look the 25-year-old?