Niamh Swailes has warned France they will be taking on a very different England side to the one they beat earlier this year when the sides reunite for the final match of the Six Nations Women’s Summer Series in Parma. 

The Sale Sharks hooker, who is the daughter of ex-Premier League footballer Chris Swailes, was part of the team were beaten 74-0 by a rampant Les Bleuettes in Rouen in April.

She admitted the high-scoring defeat hurt the squad but insists England’s youngsters are eager to show what they are made of as both sides look to end the inaugural Summer Series with three wins from three. 

“This game is probably the biggest clash of the tournament,” said Swailes. “We play France every year and it’s always tough, but we’re all really excited. 

“Coming out of our last game against them we had a lot to think about, but the journey we’ve been on as a group since then has been crazy. 

“We’ve shown that we are good rugby players, that we can back ourselves, and that we are more than capable of going up against big names like France.”

“Our approach is not so much about having a game plan but about our mindset.

“We’ve been talking about that a lot. When we played France in April it was a big score, but this time our mindset has changed and the confidence of the group has grown.”

England’s Under-20s opened their Summer Series campaign with a 55-24 victory over Wales, in which Swailes was among the try-scorers, and continued their winning streak with an 33-10 win over Ireland.

Le Crunch represents their biggest test but Swailes believes they can build on their two performances to date.

“The way we grew as a group while preparing for our match with Wales - we had a few injuries in the team -  gives us so much confidence going into this next game,” she said. “It’s crazy how much we pulled together.

“The fact that we were able to get the win despite those circumstances is a big boost.”

Another big boost to the team’s morale has been the support from the travelling fans in Parma, who have provided vocal backing throughout.

“The atmosphere in Parma has been really nice,” she said. “It’s been so nice to see people’s families come over to watch us during this once in a lifetime opportunity. To have their support means a lot.  

“It’s also been really good to be able to put age grade women’s rugby on the map and to have big crowds. I try not to feel pressure but embrace the whole experience and enjoy everything in the moment.

“We are definitely going for the win against France. We are in the best position we could be going into this match to get the win and put on a big performance. 

“It’s my last year in the u20 category and we haven’t beaten France in years, so it would be such a good ending to my time with this team to put on a great performance, get the win and celebrate afterwards.”

The Women’s Summer Series is available to fans all over the world via exclusive coverage on the Six Nations U20 YouTube channels, with supporting coverage across dedicated U20 Six Nations social media channels.