England U20s aim to end losing run

France, going for nine in a row

We looked in detail at the remarkably one-sided nature of this fixturea few weeks ago, before France furtherextended their unbeaten run.

The the second and final game of the series (Saturday March 21, KO 2pm, Esher RFC)England Women Under 20s Head Coach Jo Yapp has recalled Bristol’s Sydney Gregson, who made her senior debut for England in the Six Nations in February, at fullback with Rachel Lund moving to centre. Bristol’s Devon Holt also switches to scrum-half to wing, with Caity Mattinson returning from injury to wear the number nine shirt. Bristol prop Abbie Parson will captain the young chargers with Rebecca Noon coming in at hooker. Amy Wigley is also given the nod to start at lock alongside Olivia Jones.

Yapp said: “We were frustrated with our performance last time out against France. We didn’t stick to our game plan fully but when we got it right we looked strong. We must put that right this weekend, especially as France are very successful in broken field play. We need to be more savvy tactically in that area. Certainly the players have learned a lot from that game so I am confident we will see progression this weekend.

England (Club, CB, Academy, AASE college); 15 Sydney Gregson (Bristol, Hertfordshire, South East, Hartpury College); 14 Devon Holt (Bristol, Berkshire, South West); 13 Rachel Lund (VC) (Worcester, Yorkshire, Midlands) ; 12 Emily Wood (Lichfield, Gloucestershire, South West); 11 Charlotte Clapp (Saracens, South East); 10 Sarah Nicholas (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)  ; 9 Caity Mattinson (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Gloucestershire, North); 1 Abbie Parsons (C) (Bristol, Berkshire, South West); 2 Rebecca Noon (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands); 3 Katie Trevarthen (Camp Hill, Notts, Lincs & Derby, Midlands); 4 Amy Wigley (Lichfield, North, Midlands); 5 Olivia Jones (Bristol, Oxfordshire, South West); 6 Abigail Walker (Worcester, Gloucestershire, South West); 7 Sarah Bern (Esher, Surrey, South East, Hartpury College); 8 Sally Stott (Vale of Lune, Lancashire, North)

Replacements:  6 Lark Davies (Worcester, North Midlands, Midlands)  ; 17 Henrietta Burkinshaw (Lichfield, Yorkshire, North); 18 Georgia Bradley (Hartpury/Bristol, South East, Hartpury College); 19 Catherine O'Donnell (Vale of Lune, Cumbria, North); 20 Rebecca Trist (Worcester, Lancashire, South West ); 21 Lucy Nye  (Lichfield, Devon, South West); 22 Charlotte Holland (Bath, Devon, South West); 23 Zoe Aldcroft (Hartpury, Yorkshire, North, Hartpury College)

Francefrom:Axelle Alaux (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Montserrat Amedee (Blagnac Saint-Orens Rugby Féminin); Julie Annery (AC Bobigny 93); Pauline Bourdon (AS Bayonnaise); Mélanie Combebias (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Annaelle Deshayes (Ovalie Caennaise); Cindy Faure (USA Perpignan XV Féminin Roussillon); Ophélie Gincourt (Ovalie Caennaise); Emeline Gros (Rugby Sassenage Isère); Gaëlle Hermet (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Talis Kuresa (US Néracaise); Laurie Laborie (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Emilie Mathieu (Rugby Sassenage Isère); Marine Menager (Lille Métropole RC Villeneuvois); Grace Séraphine Okemba (Saracens); Prune Pegot (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Elise Pignot (Ovalie Romagnatoise Clermont Auvergne); Lori Ramirez (AC Bobigny 93); Emma Roubinet (Stade Bordelais ASPTT); Agathe Sochat (Stade Bordelais ASPTT); Pauline Soulard (Blagnac Saint Orens); Maïlys Traore (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Justine Vergnaud (Stade Rennais Rugby)