England vs France LIVE: Six Nations score and result as England fall to humiliating record loss at Twickenham

Marcus Smith was understandably the talk of the town on the train in today - this is a huge opportunity, and test, for the fly half.

One former England centre has a theory about Smith’s elevation to the starting side...

The French team were greeted on to the Twickenham surface earlier by a great roar, indicative of the French predilection for being in your seats early, and a good number of supporters who have hopped across the Channel.

It was strangely spring-like earlier at Twickenham, the sun further warming heads already sensibly covered in wool with the temperature due to plunge this evening. But the wind and rain that at one point threatened to make this a slightly unpleasant occasion haven’t materialised, and both side are content enough in shorts as they go through their final warm up.

France disappear down the tunnel first, with England gathering together in a huddle before following their foes back to the dressing room.

Lewis Ludlam has endorsed the promotion of “mad dog” Ellis Genge to England captain after recalling a bruising battle against the Bristol prop as a teenager in schools rugby.

Genge has been entrusted with the leadership duties after Owen Farrell was demoted to the bench for Saturday’s penultimate round of the Guinness Six Nations against France at Twickenham.

It completes the fiery 28-year-old’s rise from Bristol council estate to the pinnacle of the English game and in Ludlam he has a team-mate who will relish following him into ‘Le Crunch’.

“Ellis is a brilliant skipper. He plays with his heart on his sleeve,” Northampton flanker Ludlam said. “When he talks it’s convincing, people can get behind him. He’s someone you want to battle for, someone you want to fight for.”

Here is that L’Equipe front cover, by the way. Glorious stuff.

French sports daily L’Equipe this morning dubbed Twickenham “The Temple of Doom”, planting Indiana Jones’ hat and whip on Fabien Galthie and Antoine Dupont as they hope to at last conquer the home of English rugby again. It is 18 years since France last won here in the Six Nations but this is the best French side to visit since.

Mohamed Haouas’ moment of madness against Scotland prompted a second French tighthead to visit the disciplinary dock, meaning Galthie presses Dorian Aldegheri straight into starting duty ahead of bench weapon Sipili Falatea. Anthony Jelonch’s tournament is over, so Francois Cros starts on the flank.

One notable returnee for France: Jonathan Danty has tuned up over the last couple of weeks for La Rochelle and is back somewhere close to full fitness, ready to again punch midfield holes and “keen” for the contest, according to his head coach on Thursday.

France XV: Cyrill Baille, Julien Marchand, Dorian Aldegheri; Thibaud Flament, Paul Willemse; Francois Cros, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt; Antoine Dupont (capt.), Romain Ntamack; Ethan Dumortier, Jonathan Danty, Gael Fickou, Damian Penaud; Thomas Ramos.

Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Romain Taofifenua, Sekou Macalou; Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Melvyn Jaminet.

Four games into his tenure as England head coach and already Steve Borthwick has made perhaps his boldest call. Left out of the starting side is Owen Farrell, captain, conductor, defensive leader and fly-half, with Marcus Smith preferred at ten.

Borthwick has backed the Harlequin to play quickly and attack when he can with England hoping to avoid being dragged in to a heavy-hitting slugfest. Smith’s elevation is the only alteration to the starting side, but Farrell’s demotion does necessitate a new starting skipper – Ellis Genge led Borthwick’s Leicester to the title last season and has formed a key part of his country’s leadership team over the last couple of years.

England XV: Ellis Genge (capt.), Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum; Lewis Ludlam, Jack Willis, Alex Dombrandt; Jack van Poortvliet, Marcus Smith; Anthony Watson, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Max Malins; Freddie Steward.

Replacements: Jack Walker, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, Dave Ribbans, Ben Curry; Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell, Henry Arundell.

These Six Nations Saturdays do move along at quite a pace, and the atmosphere is beginning to build at a cool (but perhaps crucially dry) Twickenham.

There’s plenty of French fans in hoping their side can end a horrible recent run at the home of English rugby - but all the talk this week has been about a rather bold selection call from Steve Borthwick...

Rhys Webb went well on his return to the Welsh starting side, while I thought the partnership between Daffyd Jenkins and Adam Beard functioned nicely in tight and loose. Something to build on for Wales, certainly.

Italy will reload and come again, with a trip to Murrayfield on the final weekend - you hope that a couple of injury issues are not too serious and they’ll give it a better go in Edinburgh.

Much more like it from Warren Gatland’s Wales, taking their chances early on in the encounter after a couple of Italian errors and then holding their hosts at bay as they tried to rally. A bonus point win in Rome should not be sniffed at given the difficulties both France and Ireland had in the Italian capital - Kieran Crowley’s side were below their best but that should just restore some confidence to the Welsh squad.