Assistant coach Andy Farrell believes that Brad Barritt is "world-class" and the "cornerstone" of the new-look England.
The South African-born Saracens centre made his England debut in the 13-6 win over Scotland in early February and has quickly proved himself to be an indispensable part of Stuart Lancaster's plans.
Farrell is hopeful that Barritt's presence in the middle of the field can help England counter the influence of France duo Aurelien Rougerie and Wesley Fofana when the sides meet in Paris on Sunday.
"He has almost become a cornerstone of a lot of things that we're about as a team. He is tireless in his work for the team and he is one of the reasons why this team fights for each other," said Farrell.
"Brad is very passionate in how he plays - you can see that. His defence is so good, I think he's world-class. I don't think I've seen a better defensive centre than Brad for a long, long time.
"We are going over to France in a confident mood. We will try to be as aggressive as we've been in the last three games."
England's last victory in Paris came in 2008.
Robert Summerscales
