The whole of French rugby has been understandably preoccupied with the great events of a first home men’s world cup.
Now at last we get details from the women’s camp about their squad of 30 to undertake the trip to New Zealand. It is:
Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais)
Cyrielle Banet (Montpellier HR)
Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac RF)
*Océane Bordes (Stade Toulousain)
Émilie Boulard (Blagnac RF)
Pauline Bourdon (Stade Toulousain)
Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais)
Yllana Brosseau (Bobigny AC 93)
Alexandra Chambon (Grenoble Amazones)
*Léa Champon (Grenoble Amazones)
Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain)
Madoussou Fall (Stade Bordelais)
Manae Feleu (Grenoble Amazones)
Audrey Forlani (Blagnac RF)
*Lilou Graciet (LOU Rugby)
Emeline Gros (Grenoble Amazones)
Gaëlle Hermet (Stade Toulousain)
Clara Joyeux (Blagnac RF)
Assia Khalfaoui (Stade Bordelais)
Nassira Konde (Stade Bordelais)
Coco Lindelauf (Blagnac RF)
Romane Ménager (Montpellier HR)
Marine Ménager (Montpellier HR)
*Ambre Mwayembe (Grenoble Amazones)
Lina Queyroi (Blagnac RF)
*Elisa Riffonneau (Trailfinders Women)
*Suliana Sivi (Stade Rennais Rugby)
Agathe Sochat (Stade Bordelais)
Laure Touye (Montpellier HR)
Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac RF)
All the players are on FFR contracts except for those asterisked.
As we should expect, this is a very strong combination. The six asterisks reveal the younger element that the two co-coaches, Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz, have been happy to add to the mix.
There are significant names missing: Annaëlle Deshayes, Caroline Boujard, Mélissande Llorens and Caroline Drouin, among others. Drouin’s absence may prove the most concerning among the backs. While France have a number of outstanding wide backs, gifted No 10s are thinner on the ground. Carla Arbez proved her ability in this year’s 6 Nations, but her back-ups have yet to be tested at anything like this level. Deshayes’ absence is a cause for concern too. She has locked the French pack for several seasons now. There are admirable replacements, but none of her standing.
As with England, France enjoy a huge amount of experience across the field. That is one area that Allan Bunting can’t counter with his Black Ferns outfit. Skill and fitness are what will count at this rarified level.
One slight advantage the Red Roses have over Les Bleues is their familiarity with playing in New Zealand (and beating the Black Ferns). Of the French only Manae Feleu, herself originally from Oceania, has already played in the country. Previous attempts to tour there were thwarted by the pandemic.
The management will know why they felt it sensible not to undertake international matches as warm-ups for the big occasion. All the other five members of WXV1 did so. An interesting policy decision.
The fixture-list is less kind to them than the English: their first match on New Zealand soil pits them against the hosts. It’s hard to imagine a bigger occasion; what a way to start off a revolutionary undertaking like WXV1!
Their three Fixtures:
21 October v New Zéaland (KO 08.00)
28 October v Australia (KO 08.00)
4 November v Canada (KO 04.00)
All French times
