JAMES HARRINGTON
FRENCH COLUMN

A little over 24 hours after England’s statement win over Scotland in the first match of the 2022 Women’s Six Nations, their likely nearest challengers France face Italy at Grenoble’s Stade des Alpes – venue of their famous 30-27 victory over New Zealand in 2018 – for their tournament opener.
World number ones England enter the tournament as strong favourites – with good reason – but France, ranked third and coming off a perfect November international run, including two wins over the Black Ferns, are refusing to talk down their chances with a fixture lis...