Le Crunch.

Head coach Eddie Jones has named his England team for this weekend’s hugely anticipated Six Nations clash with France in Paris.

Owen Farrell is named at inside centre and will captain the side with 675 caps in the starting XV for the game. George Ford starts inside Farrell at tne with Manu Tuilagi at outside centre. Ben Youngs will play his 96th Test at scrum-half.

George Furbank will make his England debut at fullback with Elliot Daly named on the left wing and Jonny May on the right following Anthony Watson’s late unavailability due to injury.

Tom Curry is selected as number eight with Sam Underhill at openside flanker and Courtney Lawes at blindside flanker. Charlie Ewels will partner Maro Itoje in the second row with Jamie George, Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler making up England’s front row.

Prop Will Stuart is included on the bench and the second uncapped player in the matchday 23.

Jones, heading into his fifth Guinness Six Nations as England men’s head coach, said:

“It has been a massively exciting week for us. It is the start of the Guinness Six Nations, the best rugby tournament in the world. We have had a great preparation in Portugal with a quality training week this week.

“We have really worried about ourselves, getting ourselves right.  We have picked a strong forward pack which is part of the England way and an exciting backline with young George Furbank playing his first Test at fullback.

“France can expect absolute brutality from England, we are going to go out there to make sure they understand what Test rugby is.It is about being brutal, it is about being physical and it is about dominating the set-piece.”

England team vs France

15. George Furbank
14. Jonny May
13. Manu Tuilagi
12. Owen Farrell (c)
11. Elliot Daly
10. George For
9. Ben Youngs
1. Joe Marler
2. Jamie George
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Maro Itoje
5. Charlie Ewels
6. Courtney Lawes
7. Sam Underhill
8. Tom Curry

Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie
17. Ellis Genge
18. Will Stuart
19. George Kruis
20. Lewis Ludlam
21. Willi Heinz
22. Ollie Devoto
23. Jonathan Joseph