It is easy to forget how important it was for the tournament to spread its wings beyond the British Isles (The Home Championship) to include one, then two nations on the continent. They have added hugely to its standing. France and Italy come face to face in Grenoble on Sunday.
First the teams
France:
15 Chloé Jacquet (Lyon OU), 14 Léa Murie (Stade Toulousain), 13 Maëlle Filopon (Stade Toulousain), 12 Gabrielle Vernier (Lille Métropole RC Villeneuvois), 11 Marie Aurélie Castel (Stade Rennais), 10 Caroline Drouin (Stade Rennais), 9 Alexandre Chambon (Grenoble), 1 Annaëlle Deshayes (Lyon OU) 2 Agathe Sochat (Montpellier), 3 Clara Joyeux (Blagnac), 4 Madoussou Fall (Bobigny 93) 5 Audrey Forlani (Blagnac), 6 Romane Ménager (Montpellier), 7 Gaëlle Hermet (captain, Stade Toulousain), 8 Emeline Gros (Montpellier)
Bench: 16 Laure Touyé (Montpellier), 17 Coco Lindelauf (Blagnac), 18 Assia Khalfaoui (Stade Bordelais), 19 Manaé Feleu (Grenoble), 20 Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac), 21 Laure Sansus (Stade Toulousain), 22 Jessy Trémoulière (Romagnat), 23 Emilie Boulard (Chilly-Mazarin)
Italy:
15 Manuela Furlan (captain, Arredissima Villorba), 14 Aura Muzzo (Arredissima Villorba), 13 Michela Sillari (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 12 Alyssa D’Inca (Arredissima Villorba), 11 Maria Magatti (CUS Milano), 10 Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 9 Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova). 8 Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 7 Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Monza 1949), 6 Francesca Sberna (Calvisano), 5 Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 4 Beatrice Veronese (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 3 Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova),2 Melissa Bettoni (Stade Rennais),1 Gaia Maris (Valsugana)
Bench:
16 Vittoria Vecchini (Valsugana), 17 Emanuela Stecca (Villorba), 18 Sara Seye (Calvisano), 19 Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain), 20 Alessandria Frangipani (Villorba), 21 Sara Barattin (Arredissima Villorba), 22 Veronica Madia (HBS Colorno), 23 Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana)
The French
Background
The French make no secret of their ambition: to win the next World Cup. Last week Annick Hayraud invited one one France’s most distinguished recent captains, Thierry Dusautoir, to address the squad at Marcoussis. Hayraud is only too aware that none of her players have experienced playing in Aotearoa, and Dusautoir was able to pass on some of his lessons from competing in the 2011 World Cup there.
The Choices
This is far from being a first-choice French squad. Like the English, the management is looking around to check how good the alternatives are to the staple cast.
Laure Sansus and Pauline Bourdon have captured the headlines for the past few years, but who are the back-ups? So Annick Hayraud has launched Alexandre Chambon into the No 9 shirt, with the advantage of playing on her home turf.
The pack is mightily strengthened by the return of Madoussou Fall to the second row. Just to be truly French, the captain and Ménager swap shirts on the flanks.
Léa Murie is the one other newish face in the starting line-up. She has played some 7s, but English fans saw her at Doncaster in 2019 looking a shade out of her depth. She has a chance to put in a positive claim this time.
The squad is suffering from injuries to Caroline Boujard, Pauline Bourdon and Safi N’Diaye, but as with England, this helps the selectors to judge the strength of the alternatives.
French fans need have few worries; this squad could offer Le Azzurre another torrid afternoon in the Alpine stadium.
The Italians
Background
Le Azzurre have never beaten les Bleues on French soil, but they defeated them thrillingly only three years ago in Padua. Since then several of that French squad have been discarded.
Italy have added buoyancy after winning the European RWC qualifier, but they had been one of the nations most restricted by the pandemic. Last year they played thrillingly against England in the first half, but ran out of steam later. France may not be as generous as the English were.
The Choices
Andrea Di Giandomenico’s first squad shows the strengths and the weaknesses of his position. He has a lot of fine experienced players at his disposal, especially up front, where last year’s pack proved the soundest of all six nations at the set scrum.
But out behind the choice of Sofia Stefan at No 9 reveals his lack of choice. As Sara Barattin, now aged 35, is asked to wait on the bench, he sees no bright young spark ready to take her place. Instead Stefan, mostly a winger through her long career, is again asked to stand at the base of the scrum, as she did (to modest effect) in the Bedford game against England.
Another weakness in the backs is the lack of a profitable kicking-game. Both England and France have shown its value, as opponents are forced to turn and scramble. Equally they clear defences with effective kicks to touch. For the Italians only Beatrice Rigoni is a regular contributor to this cause. On Sunday she stands on the verge of her 50th cap. Many congratulations.
Match Details
Sunday 27 March, Stade des Alpes, Grenoble; KO 16.00 (local time); 15.00 (UK time)
Officials:
Referee: Sara Cox (RFU)
ARs: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SA) and Precious Pazani (ZIM)
TMO: Chris Assmus (RC)
