England have made only one change against France as they bid to avoid their worst ever finish in the Guinness Six Nations by selecting Ollie Chessum at blindside flanker.
Head coach Steve Borthwick has remained loyal to the overhauled backline that misfired in the 23-18 defeat by Italy in Rome with Fin Smith continuing at fly-half for Saturday’s visit to Paris.
Instead, Borthwick has tinkered with his back row by installing Chessum at six and moving Guy Pepper to openside at the expense of Sam Underhill, who drops to the bench for the climax to the Championship.
Underhill was propelled to the starting XV at the Stadio Olimpico when Tom Curry suffered a tournament-ending calf injury during the warm up, but against France he will act as a replacement as part of a six-two split between forwards and backs.
By starting Chessum, Borthwick is strengthening England’s line-out and giving his pack greater ballast to take on France’s giant forwards.
The 25-year-old Leicester captain has played the bulk of his rugby for club and country in the second row and his most recent international appearance at blindside was in the 2024 Six Nations.
