Axed Tait pays price for England's sluggish start

The Newcastle centre, 19 last Sunday, made his debut in the 11-9 defeat against Wales.

But head coach Robinson has made five changes to the starting line-up with Tait dropping out, Olly Barkley coming into midfield and Jamie Noon moving to outside centre. Harry Ellis makes his first start in place of Matt Dawson at scrum half, Lewis Moody and Martin Corry return in the back row, and Phil Vickery returns at tight-head after Julian White picked up a neck injury in Cardiff.

Robinson opted for a change of emphasis in the backs to dominate field position against the French, who opened their campaign with a 16-9 win against Scotland.

"I'm not here to blame Mathew Tait - he did really well," said Robinson. "It's about looking at the position we're in at the moment. We didn't get our kicking game together. It's a slight change of direction in bringing Olly Barkley in to have two kickers.

"The reason we lost against Wales was that we didn't dominate field position and we didn't play. The forwards were sluggish and we didn't hold on to the ball. It's basically a change of focus.

"I've had a chat with him (Tait). He's training with the squad this week and I'm sure he'll be involved in this championship. I'm disappointed for him, we all are, but I just felt it was important for us to have that Hodgson-Barkley axis and Henry Paul on the bench.

"Noon has a little bit more experience and a bit more power and pace. He's also our defensive captain and a good defensive organiser."

Corry has recovered from a broken elbow and Moody from a hamstring strain to allow Robinson to field the same back row that impressed in the autumn against Canada, South Africa and Australia. Their Leicester team-mate Ellis comes into the side after a series of outstanding displays for the Zurich Premiership leaders. And now the injury problems that dominated the build-up to the championship are also starting to ease,

Robinson is optimistic despite the dangers posed by a French side he sees as "the most dangerous team in world rugby".

"Harry Ellis is on fire at the moment. He's been champing at the bit, really pushing for a start, and he's earned it," said Robinson. "The back row I've always wanted to select has involved Corry, Joe Worsley and Lewis Moody. Chris Jones had a very good game against Wales but we felt we needed the power Martin Corry brings and Lewis Moody's selection was always a given for me.

"France are still the most dangerous side in world rugby. They've been written off so many times but they're always capable of a world-class performance. They're a side that knows how to win games and that's down to forward domination."

Bath back Barkley, recalled for his first Test match start since last season's Six Nations defeat in Paris, knows he is under pressure to deliver.

''I think on the whole, we lacked rhythm and pattern against Wales," he said.

"We seemed to be at sixes and sevens, and really lacked that cohesion a team needs."

Barkley's second-half introduction in Cardiff was too little, too late, and he said: ''From my point of view, I don't think we played enough decent field position. I think the Welsh looked susceptible once they were on the back foot and I was trying to push them deep into their 22.

''That was one of the worst performances I have seen from an England side in a long time, just in terms of we lacked any rhythm or penetration. Any improvement from that, I think, will be easy to come by. What we saw against Wales wasn't what we are about.

''Rhythm will be very important for us on Sunday. We lacked it to a massive extent last weekend but I am pretty confident we will get it back on Sunday.

''I have been selected to come in and do a job. I know the pressure is on me to carry that forward and I would rather have that pressure and be starting than not."

The England team for stage two of their Six Nations campaign has a far more balanced and powerful look about it.

But Robinson, following successive defeats against Australia and Wales, plus the fearsome prospect of tackling Ireland in Dublin later this month, knows that losing to France is not an option.

''We lost the game last weekend because we weren't able to keep hold of the ball, and nothing really down to Tait and Noon in the centres," he said.

''We sat down with Mathew and talked it through. He's going to remain with the squad this week, and he's going to be involved in this Six Nations tournament. He was unfortunate he didn't get the opportunities we wanted him to have.

''I am disappointed for him, I think we all are. I don't see him as a 19-year-old, I see him as a rugby player, and like all rugby players, we get good times and bad times.

''I just felt it was important for us, in terms of how we are going to play the game this weekend, that we had (Charlie) Hodgson, Barkley in terms of an axis, and also Henry Paul on the bench to maintain that axis.''

Gloucester centre Paul is back in England's match-day 22 despite being substituted after just 26 minutes by Robinson against Australia in November.

Up-front, Corry's return is particularly welcome, given his imperious form during the autumn Tests.

And the fact he hasn't played since dislocating his elbow playing in Leicester's Zurich Premiership victory over Gloucester on January 2, does not occupy Robinson's thoughts.

''You saw with (Wales flanker) Martyn Williams last week in his performance, with him not playing for a month, suddenly coming in and giving an outstanding performance,'' added the coach.

''Players of real quality can do that and I think that's what we are expecting from Martin Corry.''

England: J Robinson (Sale, capt); M Cueto (Sale), J Noon (Newcastle), O Barkley (Bath), J Lewsey (Wasps); C Hodgson (Sale), H Ellis (Leicester); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps) L Moody (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester).