Six Nations 2010: France shocked by England decision to drop Jonny Wilkinson

1130AM GMT eighteen March 2010

Competition Toby Flood and Jonny Wilkinson conflict for No 10 jersey Photo GETTY IMAGES

"I was awaiting Wilkinson to begin if he was fit, or not to take piece at all if he hadn"t recovered from his head injury," Lievremont said.

"I haven"t forgotten, however, that Wilkinson was not personification last year at Twickenham and Toby Flood was at fly-half. It didn"t save us from surrender thirty points."

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Flood"s betterment to the starting choice is one of 6 changes by England after last weekend"s 15-15 pull in Scotland.

Winger Ugo Monye is transposed by Northampton"s uncapped Chris Ashton, full-back Delon Armitage gives approach to Ben Foden and outward centre Mathew Tait is forsaken as 31-year-old World Cup-winner Mike Tindall creates his initial coming for a year.

In the pack, Simon Shaw comes behind in place of Louis Deacon, whilst Lewis Moody, forsaken opposite Scotland, earnings at openside flanker and Joe Worsley switches to blindside, with James Haskell dropping to the bench.

"We were awaiting the lapse of Simon Shaw who is the cornerstone of the English pack. We were additionally awaiting England to beef up their backline with a player similar to Tindall, even if I conclude Mathew Tait is some-more beautiful and unpredictable," Lievremont said.

"Through the selections of Shaw and Tindall, England have denounced their diversion plan."

Lievremont concluded with reflection Martin Johnson, who told French media the home group had some-more to lose and could be influenced by the vigour of personification for a grand slam.

"It"s true," he said. "We will be personification for high stakes and it could stop the players but we know it and we"ll take it in to comment prior to the game."