Annick Hayraud has announced her team for their first outing of the autumn against South Africa.
She has taken the opportunity to blood some new faces. Among the starters the only familiar faces are skipper, Gaëlle Hermet, alongside Caroline Boujard, Madoussou Fall, Safi N’Diaye and the half-back duo, Laure Sansus and Caroline Drouin.
But they should prove a mighty handful for the inexperienced Springboks.
This blend helps to broaden the choices available to the staff as they look forward first to facing the Black Ferns, then even bigger challenges next year.
The 23:
15 Emilie Boulard (Chilly-Mazarin), 14 Caroline Boujard (Montpellier), 13 Marie Dupouy* (Blagnac), 12 Chloé Jacquet* (Lyon OU), 11 Marie Aurélie Castel (Stade Rennais), 10 Caroline Drouin (Stade Rennais), 9 Laure Sansus (Stade Toulousain), 1 Coco Lindelauf* (Blagnac), 2 Laure Touyé (Montpellier), 3 Clara Joyeux (Blagnac), 4 Madoussou Fall (AC Bobigny 93), 5 Safi N’Diaye (Montpellier), 6 Axelle Berthoumieux (Blagnac), 7 Gaëlle Hermet (captain, Stade Toulousain), 8 Emeline Gros (Montpellier)
Bench: 16 Caroline Thomas (Romagnat), 17 Annaëlle Deshayes (Lyon OU), 18 Yllana Brosseau (AC Bobigny 93), 19 Coumba Diallo (Stade Français), 20 Julie Annery (Stade Français), 21 Alexandra Chambon* (Grenoble), 22 Morgane Peyronnet (Montpellier), 23 Mélissande Llorens* (Blagnac)
*uncapped
Coumba Diallo is in line for her 50th cap.
Coco Lindelauf can claim the most intriguing back-story. She was born in Holland, but at the age of six moved with her parents to southern France, where rugby soon occupied her mightily. She had no trouble playing for mixed teams in the early stages, as her physique more than matched the boys’. In order to qualify to play for France she had to acquire a French passport, which her ambition drove her to do.
Details:
6 November
KO 3pm (local time)
Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
