As if they were starting from scratch again, Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have named 37 players to contest places in the Round Three match against Scotland.
They are:
Julie Annery (Stade Bordelais), Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais), Cyrielle Banet (Montpellier), Rose Bernadou (Montpellier), Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac), Caroline Boujard (Montpellier), Emilie Boulard (Blagnac), Pauline Bourdon (Stade Toulousain), Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais), Ylana Brosseau (Bobigny 93), Alexandra Chambon (Grenoble), Léa Champon (Grenoble), Annaëlle Deshayes (Stade Bordelais), Margaux Duces (Stade Rennais), Marie Dupouy (Blagnac), Charlotte Escudero (Blagnac), Manae Feleu (Grenoble), Maëlle Filopon (Stade Toulousain), Audrey Forlani (Blagnac), Lilou Graciet (LOU, Lyon), Emeline Gros (Grenoble), Gaëlle Hermet (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 Syalla (Stade Bordelais), Laure Touyé (Montpellier), Jessy Trémoulière (ASM Romagnat), Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac)
That is one more than the group that prepared for Round One!
The good news is that they expect to have Romane Ménager back in working order, and it’s a pleasure to see Maëlle Filopon’s name reappearing.
Ménager’s return means even more competition for back-row places. My guess is that Charlotte Escudero will retain a slot.
Also included are a number of young prospects who will join the U20 side to play England at Tours on 15 April. Playing alongside players with many caps to their credit will help them get attuned to high level performance.
Grenoble Amazones have five players in the list. How many will be allowed to play in front of their home crowd in Round Four? Such favouritism is uncommon in rugby.
For the Scotland game in Brittany there are two listed players from Stade Rennais, Margaux Duces and Elisa Riffoneau, but they may well need to be patient.
Commentators will have to get their heads (and mouths) round the squadron of ‘B’ players. They now number eight, Banet, Bernadou, Berthoumieu, Boujard, Boulard, Bourdon, Bourgeois and Brosseau. The best of luck!
Ortiz is looking forward to seeing his side at home again in front of packed houses (Vannes and Grenoble, but for him as for the rest of the group the climax will be an appearance at Twickenham in front of a 50,000+ crowd.
