Six Nations - France vs England: England braced to lose Joe Marler for Paris but Billy Vunipola backs Grand Slam charge

England are seeking a clean sweep for the first time since 2003

Billy Vunipola (GETTY IMAGES)

England will discover on Wednesday whether Joe Marler has forearm-smashed his way out of this weekend’s Grand Slam match against France in Paris – or maybe talked his way out of it, depending on the view of a Six Nations disciplinary team who have yet to decide whether the prop’s “gypsy boy” jibe at the Wales front-rower Samson Lee is worthy of punishment. Marler is still with the red-rose squad, but the red-rose hierarchy are not counting on him staying around for the duration.

There is also a concern over the captain Dylan Hartley, who sat out training on Tuesday for what the coaching team suggested were precautionary reasons. Should the Northampton hooker turn out to be at serious risk, the Exeter youngster Luke Cowan-Dickie will make a first Test start at the weekend, with the uncapped Tommy Taylor of Sale on the bench. Taylor was retained in camp following the regular Tuesday cull of fringe players.

If the head coach Eddie Jones is forced into making a change because of Marler’s enforced absence, Matt Mullan of Wasps will step up into the match-day squad as understudy to Mako Vunipola of Saracens. All things considered, this seems the most likely outcome. on Wednesday afternoon, Marler must answer a charge of striking his opposite number Rob Evans at a ruck during the first half of the 25-21 victory over Wales four days ago. Even if he escapes sanction, the verbal abuse allegation will still be hanging over him.

Vunipola is well capable of prospering against Les Bleus: the 25-year-old’s sublime try-creating pass against Scotland at Murrayfield in the opening round of matches was one of the moments of the tournament to date and there are many England followers who consider him the best loose-head specialist in the home nations. But it was his younger, if not-so-little brother Billy, another stand-out performer in Edinburgh, who gave voice to the confidence surging through the camp as they build towards a first clean sweep since the World Cup-winning year of years in 2003.

“Nothing changes for us this week,” said the No 8. “We’ve won the title with a game to go, which is a bit of a strange one, and we realise we’ve done something special. It certainly gives us a boost.

“I’ve read a lot of stuff written about bonuses, so there’s definitely a boost to the boys’ bank accounts! But the message from on high is that we have to finish it off, so instead of talking about a Slam we’re focusing on imposing ourselves on the French.

“They’re always a dangerous side and we have to minimise their good moments. A lot of that will be down to where we’re at mentally, so we have to draw a line under the fact that the title is won. We know it won’t feel as good if we don’t complete the job, so there’ll be no relaxing – no falling back on what happened against Wales last weekend or what we did the weekend before that.”

According to the back-rower, his elevation to the vice-captaincy – or rather, a third of the vice-captaincy, which he shares with the full-back Mike Brown and the goal-kicking midfielder Owen Farrell – has made not a jot of difference in real terms. The very thought of shouting the odds mortifies him, so he prefers to keep shtum.

“It’s important to me that whenever I say something, I back it up with action,” explained the naturalised Tongan. “So I tend not to speak too much, just in case I’m unable to do what I’m asking of others. Also, it’s a massive part of my culture that I don’t talk to those who are older than me. I like to show people what to do rather than tell them.”

He was, however, keen to express the view that England’s dominant performance in the first hour against a Welsh side bristling with British & Irish Lions Test hands was worthy of more plaudits than it received. “I don’t think we’ve been given enough credit,” he commented. “We took the game to Wales by attacking with intensity. We did really well to put such an experienced team under such great pressure.”

Talking of the Lions, the eye-watering challenge of beating the world champion All Blacks in New Zealand next year was made just a little tougher yesterday when Wayne Smith, one of the sport’s outstanding coaches, agreed new terms with his home union. Smith had been linked with the rugby directorship at Harlequins, which will fall vacant when Conor O’Shea moves to Italy at the end of the season, but he will now rejoin Steve Hansen, Ian Foster and Mike Cron at the heart of the silver-ferned operation.