Gaëlle Mignot has announced the names of 35 players to take part in the next stage of preparations for WXV1, being held at Marcoussis from 5-23 August.
It shows all the familiar names, with the reassuring return of Madoussou Fall from injury; she was much missed during the World Cup. Four players are absent (listed below). The asterisked players feature four members of the highly successful Under 20 side, who put England to the sword in April. Another of that squad, Élisa Riffonneau, has since joined Ealing Trailfinders.
The 7s/15s clash isn’t quite overcome. Two players are allowed time off to compete for the ambitious 7s squad.
In most positions Mignot and her co-coach David Ortiz have talent to spare, but No 10 remains an issue. Carla Arbez will surely be first choice, but there’s an opening for another talented outside- half to make her mark.
This is still some distance from the make-up of the final group to fly out to Aotearoa, but the management can’t be accused of lack of intent.
The Squad
Julie Annery (Stade Bordelais), Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais), Cyrielle Banet (Montpellier), Axelle Berthounieu (Blagnac), Emilie Boulard (Blagnac), Pauline Bourdon (Stade Toulousain), Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais), Yllana Brosseau (Bobigny), Alexandra Chambon (Grenoble), Annaëlle Deshayes (Stade Bordelais), Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain), Madoussou Fall (Stade Bordelais), Manae Feleu (Grenoble), Maëlle Filopon (Blagnac), Audrey Forlani (Blagnac), Emeline Gros (Grenoble), Gaëlle Hermet (Stade Toulousain), Clara Joyeux (Blagnac), Assia Khalfaoui (Stade Bordelais), Nasira Kondé Stade Bordelais), Coco Lindelauf (Blagnac), Marine Ménager (Montpellier), Romane Ménager (Montpellier), Lina Queyroi (Blagnac), Mabinty Sylla (Stade Bordelais), Laure Touyé (Montpellier), Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac), *Mélanie Blanchard (Stade Rennais), *Léa Champon (Grenoble), *Lilou Graciet (LOU Rugby, Lyon), *Eneka Labeyrie (LOU Rugby, Lyon), *Ambre Mwayembe (Grenoble), *Suliana Sivi (Stade Rennais), *Lina Tuy (Romagnat), *Marion Zdzioblo (Stade Bordelais)
* all members of the ‘Olympic Academy’, the next generation
Unavailable: Rose Bernadou, Caroline Boujard, Célia Domian and Agathe Sochat Temporariily assigned to France 7s: Marie Dupouy and Mélissande Llorens
