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{ Good to be back: Lewis Moody feels ready to tackle France on Saturday after coming through this test against Northampton
Lewis Moody says he is ready to return as England captain against France on Saturday and end the "soul-destroying" experience of having to sit out the wins over over Wales and Italy.

Knocking over France, the only other unbeaten team in the Six Nations, is the toughest assignment in northern hemisphere rugby and with their coach Marc Lievremont stoking up the anti-English feeling, this is a job for fearless characters.

That is why Moody's return looks certain when Martin Johnson names his side for Twickenham on Thursday with the team manager knowing the flanker is equipped to take the fight to the French and their formidable back row in particular.

After five weeks out with a knee injury, Moody made his comeback on Saturday, playing for 23 minutes of Bath's 38-8 hammering of Northampton.

He said: "It was a little bit stiff after the game but I didn't feel the knee during it, which was good. Fingers crossed, we've got through everything.

"Full credit to the physios, who put up with my whingeing and shouting at them over the last five weeks. They worked like stink. I've said all along I wanted to be back for this French game. We said it was a realistic target, so we've all been proved right at the minute.

"We will see what happens, but it is just nice to be fit. It has been wonderful to see the boys do so well so far in the Six Nations.

"Mike Tindall has done a cracking job as captain and the guys who have come in have stuck their hands up, which bodes well in a World Cup year. But it has also been soul-destroying for me. I am a terrible spectator and I have found it difficult."

Leicester flanker Tom Croft also made a comeback as a replacement in Leicester's 21-12 win over London Wasps but will have to wait longer for his recall as Tom Wood deserves to retain the No6 jersey.

France, who kept up their Grand Slam bid with a 25-22 win over Ireland eight days ago, rested all of their players at the weekend and left it to Lievremont to set the tone for the week.

"Well we don't like them [the English], and it's better to say that than be hypocritical," he said smiling.

"We have a bit of trouble with the English. We respect them, well in my case at least I respect them but you couldn't say we have the slightest thing in common with them. We appreciate our Italian cousins with whom we share the same quality of life, we appreciate the Celts and their conviviality . . . and then among all these nations we have one huge thing in common: we don't like the English!

"We left Dublin last week with the encouragement of all the Irish who said 'for pity's sake, beat the English'. The Scots, it's the same thing. It is also what gives you strength against the English, more than just because of rugby.

"This insular country who always drape themselves in the national flag, their hymns, their chants, their traditions. They are people who one regards as a very proud people."

Those observations will add spice to the build-up and ensure little attention is focussed on the battle for the ascendancy in the Aviva Premiership.

Saracens defeated Leeds 39-0 yesterday and stand second just five points behind Leicester courtesy of tries from Michael Tagicakibau, Brad Barritt, James Short, Richard Wigglesworth and Chris Wyles.

Despite this attacking power, it was another area of Saracens' play that really pleased director of rugby, Mark McCall.

"It was important to us to do a very professional job in this game," he said. "Our defence was critical, as we discussed all week, and we were determined to take it to a new level. A lot of our points and our pressure actually came from our defence, which was as good as I have seen it."

Former England skipper Steve Borthwick made his return after a month out with a shoulder injury. McCall added: "His experience in the second row and leadership are very important to us."

London Irish went down 23-9 at Gloucester while Harlequins bounced back from defeat at Exeter to beat visitors Sale 21-9.

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