Everything hinges on this decisive showdown. France have finished second to England in the Women’s Six Nations for six straight seasons, narrowing the margin each time - last year’s finale was settled by a single point. Can François Ratier’s side not only end England’s dominance but also end their 37-game winning streak on Sunday? A full 80-minute performance could make it possible.

England remain favourites for an eighth straight title yet have dealt with major setbacks throughout the tournament. Retirements, pregnancy and injury have deprived them of several stars including regular captain Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Alex Matthews. They have kept winning despite the absences but now face their toughest test against a confident France team.

France’s statistics this season, especially in defence, look formidable. They lead the competition in carries, offloads and defenders beaten while recording the fewest missed tackles, strongest contact dominance and an 88.4 percent tackle success rate.

England top fewer categories but have scored the most points and boast the leading try scorer in Marlie Packer, who starts from the bench with Sadia Kabeya returning from injury. Fly-half Zoe Harrison has been outstanding with the boot, landing 23 of 24 attempts. When asked about defensive focus against France, head coach John Mitchell replied that they would simply aim to outscore their opponents.

England conceded their highest Six Nations total against Italy. Former captain Packer insists the team must react faster on the field rather than overthink. With many moving parts and several new caps, she highlighted defensive lapses around the maul against Wales and Italy that must be fixed before facing France.

England must tighten their defence because France possess dangerous attackers ready to exploit any lapse. Anaïs Grando has scored four tries in four matches and showed strong covering defence against Ireland. Scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus continues to drive the French attack with consistent form.

New Zealand great Ruby Tui described France’s displays as unpredictable. Their second-half showings have improved but they need full-match consistency to claim the title. Coach Ratier stressed the need for an early lead, noting England are vulnerable if prevented from building momentum.

France have not beaten England since 2018 and the Red Roses know they carry a target. Captain Meg Jones said the winning run is rarely discussed internally, yet Mitchell invited challengers to test them while promising to address any weaknesses and continue evolving.