He said: "I remain confident that Martin will lead the team out in Cardiff. We are faced with a huge challenge in our first game at the Millennium Stadium."
England had hoped to set up a combined training session with France next Monday but it has proved too difficult to organise.
Peter Brook, the former Rugby Football Union president, has died at the age of 69.
He was involved in the game for most of his life and was an international referee between 1963-66 and president of the RFU from 1997-98.
"I've enormous respect for Peter and he will be sorely missed," said ex-England skipper Bill Beaumont.
