Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have announced their first selection of 36 players to represent France this month.
Julie Annery (Stade Bordelais), Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais), Cyrielle Banet (Montpellier), Rose Bernadou (Montpellier), Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac Rugby Féminin), Caroline Boujard (Montpellier), Émilie Boulard (Blagnac), Pauline Bourdon (Stade Toulousain), Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais), Alexandra Chambon (Grenoble), Léa Champon (Grenoble), Annaëlle Deshayes (Stade Bordelais), Célia Domain (Blagnac), Margaux Ducès (Stade Rennais), Marie Dupouy (Blagnac), Charlotte Escudero (Blagnac, Manae Feleu (Grenoble), Maelle Filopon (Stade Toulousain), Audrey Forlani (Blagnac), Lilou Graciet (LOU Rugby), Emeline Gros (Grenoble), Gaëlle Hermat (Stade Toulousain), Clara Joyeux (Blagnac), Assia Khalfaoui (Stade Bordelais), Maé Levy (Montpellier), Coco Lindelauf (Blagnac), Mélissande Llorens (Blagnac), Marine Ménager (Montpellier), Romane Ménager (Montpellier), Ambre Mwayembe (Grenoble), Maëlle Picut (Blagnac), Elisa Riffoneau (Stade Rennais), Agathe Sochat (Stade Bordelais), Mabinty Sylla (Stade Bordelais), Jessy Trémoulière (Romagnat), Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac)
I wonder if their opponents, like me, search first for the missing names.
In this case they are the (expected) Sevens players, Caroline Drouin, Chloe Jacquet and Joanna Grisez. They may well reappear later in the campaign if the World Series schedule allows. Or the new co-coaches may think it fairer to remain faithful to their original choices. Of the three only Drouin’s absence strikes me as crucial.
In its extreme form, the lack of a totally reliable alternative No 10 was made clear in the closing moments of that dramatic game at Exeter, when Lydia Thompson was able to cross in the corner in the 79th minute, saving a game that looked lost. A miscued clearance kick was the cause.
The absence of Jacquet and Grisez means a loss of pace and thrust (as well as Jacquet’s powerful left boot), but the return of Banet and Boujard more than compensates.
One more absence may be equally telling: there is no Madoussou Fall for the entire series; she sustained an injury in a club match last week. The second row has long been a relative weakness in the French set-up. Fall’s advance over the past two season dramatically altered that perception.
Alongside her the dependable Audrey Forlani returns, but she is what is known undiplomatically as a workhorse. When it comes to the Crunch in Round 5, England supporters may have been concerned at the absence of Abbie Ward from proceedings. Fall’s injury evens out that deficit. Once again England are likely to have more line-out options than France, who depend largely on Gaëlle Hermat and Romane Ménager for clean possession.
Selections
In her statement Mignot leaves no doubt that the Twickenham game lies at the heart of her thinking.
40 players took part in preparation at Cap Breton, so only four have been discarded. Final training begins at Montpellier on 13 March, allowing a two-week run-in to the Italy match of Round One.
Two of the new faces, Carla Arbez and Morgane Bourgeois, are candidates for the No 10 shirt. Léa Champon represents the new additions to the squad as a product of the ‘Pôle’, the age-group below the elite. Their record stands second to none.
Just as with the Italy team announced earlier, the dependence on a few leading clubs is laid bare: no fewer than eleven from Blagnac (in Toulouse) and six from Montpellier. As a counter it’s encouraging to see more players included from cities like Grenoble (6) and Bordeaux (7).