The excellent news for France is that Romane Ménager is pronounced fit to play against New Zealand in the RWC semi-final.
That had seemed very unlikely as she looked distinctly groggy after making a tackle in the pool-stage match against England. But she was allowed to restart (non-contact) training as long ago as mid-October.
Her presence at No 8 immediately strengthens and balances an already powerful eight.
The one other change sees Charlotte Escudero, who briefly replaced Ménager at 8, replace Marjorie Mayans on the open-side. Mayans takes her place on the bench to the exclusion of Emeline Gros.
The 23:
1 Deshayes, 2 Sochat, 3 Joyeux, 4 Ferer, 5 Fall, 6 Hermet (captain), 7 Escudero, 8 R. Ménager Escudero, 9 Bourdon, 10 Drouin, 11 M. Ménager, 12 Vernier, 12 Filopon, 14 Grisez, 15 Boulard
Bench:
16 Touyé 17 Lindelauf, 18 Khalfaoui, 19 N’Diaye 20 Mayans 21 Chambon, 22 Queyroi, 23 Jacquet
This is the semi that everyone is anticipating with relish. For the first time in the tournament the Black Ferns will come face to face with a top-class outfit. Unlike them, both France and England have already crossed swords, as they found themselves in the same pool.
Whether that experience will help them in the cauldron that will be Eden Park remains to be seen.
Now may not be the best time to remind the French that they have never yet passed beyond a semi into the final itself.
