Black Ferns completely outplay Les Bleues

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France v New Zealand

A Brief Scene-setting

Two successive matches between the teams had seen a 1-point margin. You can’t get much closer than that.

All three head coaches assembled their strongest line-ups, while paying attention to current form and fitness. For the French duo this meant Séraphine Okemba replacing Téani Feleu at 6. That in turn let them reinstall Romane Ménager in her optimum position at 8.

Once more a 6-2 split. Would the management’s insistence on only two half-backs and no outside backs on the bench prove costly?

Les Bleues were the proud possessors of one of rugby’s wilder records: a run of five wins out of six versus the Ferns. So it was little surprise that Allan Bunting altered one third of his starting Fifteen, including both props.

The Match

This soon turned into one-way traffic. France looked ill-prepared for the game; their penalty count totted up to unforgiveable proportions.

The Black Ferns enjoyed only a 6-point advantage at the break, but whatever was said in the French dressing-room had little or no effect. In the remaining 40 minutes New Zealand did almost as they pleased, adding 19 points with minimal response.

It started well for the French. They had the edge at the set-scrum, making the choice of that 6/2 split seem even more inexplicable. But the ball was spilled twice as they neared the line. Was it just keen defence that was responsible?

Within five minutes the Ferns were at the other end, winning a penalty. Kaipo Olsen-Baker tapped and ran; a moment later Ayesha Leti-I’iga had the first try on the wide right.

In response France tried a drive from inside the Kiwi 22, but the first of several attempts at a concerted rolling maul fell apart. The result: they lost a holding-on decision.

Now New Zealand got the crowd roaring. Katelyn Vahaakolo, who was to have another outstanding game, made a huge break. Sylvia Brunt was in support, but the French just managed to force the move into touch.

An early sign of doubtful tactics: the French chose to run the ball out of defence; they were penalised still inside their 22. Surely that lesson should have been learned. In response the Ferns ran a simple ball down the line and Vahaakolo strolled into the left corner.

Now at last France regained some control. Although another drive splintered, Pauline Bourdon Sansus fed a short ball left to Emeline Gros. She surprised everyone by switching the other way and running a shallow diagonal right across the line, as the Ferns’ backs were still dawdling in- goal.

7-10, and France only three points behind, despite everything.

New Zealand profited greatly from simple kicks ahead through midfield. The next one found Chloé Jacquet way out of position. She knocked on as she scrambled on her knees to reclaim possession. It led, via a multi-phase move, to a fine try by Alana Bremner. Leti-I’iga had swept across from the right and ducked inside to open another gap. Would a third missed conversion by Hannah King prove costly? We weren’t then to know it would make not a jot of difference.

A strange sequence started with a solid French scrum, then a sloppy dropped pass; eventually a clever cross-kick by Lina Queyroi. There was Gros scrambling to get to a rolling ball before it flew into touch. At first sight she succeeded, but a camera’s X-ray eye proved the opposite. Back to 7-15.

Hannah King is still inexperienced at 10; she dropped-out into touch. Romane Ménager played a major role in the build-up to Manae Feleu’s try. 14-15

The last minutes of the half were all action. Assia Khalfaoui broke clear of a maul and hoofed the ball ahead, but not to touch. The Ferns countered. Finally a skilful set-move saw Vahaakolo cross again in the corner.

Half-time: France 14 New Zealand 20

As they regathered, no-one could imagine that the French would concede a further 19 points without reply. In short, they fell apart. It’s hard to imagine what the coaches could offer by way of explanation or encouragement. Talk of ‘building for the future’ sounds like a repeating groove.

Two features were spotlighted: the accuracy of the Ferns’ line-out and French susceptibility to penalties. More surprising still: Les Bleues were falling off tackles, as if the Ferns were an unstoppable force. When huddles were possible, it seemed to be Gros and PBS doing the talking, possibly Marine Ménager, but not Feleu. The matter of captaincy re-emerged as leadership was now urgently needed to pull the French together again.

An eleventh penalty gave Vahaakolo her hat-trick. (14-27) Then skilful combinations brought Kaipo Olsen-Baker a try. (14-34). This was becoming a rout. The Ferns were making big hits, then Sara Cox stopped the game as Séraphine Okemba went down hurt. Cox looked at a replay to see Okemba herself guilty of a high tackle. She left the field with a yellow, but needed an HIA anyway. She walked off unaided, which was a relief, but that was France’s 13th penalty.

Sad to report, it was mostly one-way traffic now. Tanya Kalounivale, only just on, was the next to score, and it was left to PBS to try to stop her, an uneven duel. Both French coaches had heads in hands.

It was a thoroughly disconsolate French side at the close.

Result: France 14 New Zealand 39
Player of the Match: Georgia Ponsonby
Referee: Sara Cox (RFU)

Teams

France
1 Yllana Brosseau 2 Agathe Sochat 3 Assia Khalfaoui 4 Manae Feleu (co-captain) 5 Madoussou Fall 6 Séraphine Okemba 7 Emeline Gros 8 Romane Ménager 9 Pauline Bourdon Sansus 10 Lina Queyroi 11 Marine Ménager (co-captain) 12 Gaby Vernier 13 Nassira Konde 14 Cyrielle Banet 15 Chloé Jacquet

16 Elisa Riffonneau 17 Ambre Mwayembe 18 Rose Bernadou 19 Hina Ikahehegi 20 Axelle Berthoumieu 21 Téani Feleu 22 Alex Chambon 23 Lina Tuy

New Zealand
1 Kate Henwood 2 Georgia Ponsonby 3 Amy Rule 4 Alana Bremner 5 Maia Roos 6 Liana Mikaele-
Tu’u 7 Layla Sae 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker 9 Iritana Hohaia 10 Hannah King 11 Katelyn Vahaakolo 12
Ruahei Demant (co-captain) 13 Sylvia Brunt 14 Ayesha Leti-I’iga 15 Mererangi Paul

16 Atlanta Lolohea 17 Chryss Viliko 18 Tanya Kalounivale 19 Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu 20 Kennedy
Tukuafu (co-captain) 21 Maia Joseph 22 Patricia Maliepo 23 Renee Holmes

Afterthoughts

My apologies for suggesting that the Black Ferns recent run of three losses was their first. Of course it wasn’t, and the team that inflicted a third loss previously was France, playing their part in the 4-act drama that was the NZ European tour of 2021.

For me telling moments in the Vancouver game were two shots of Gaëlle Mignot in the staff-box. She was reacting with high emotion to every twist and turn. I see that as proof positive that she was the wrong choice of coach. She was too close to her own playing days (two years older than Mo Hunt) and her players to achieve a dispassionate view of onfield events. She had always been a simmering pot there herself. Nor was David Ortiz the calming figure the recently retired David Courteix was for the 7s squad. A third coach, Sylvain Mirande, came in to guide the backs. Hard at this distance to assess how strong his influence has been, but the French midfield today was barely visible. Even the great Gaby Vernier looked more like a paramedic than the creative centre we know her to be.

It’s curious, in the light of events at BC Place, to consider Allan Bunting’s position. For all his expertise in the 7s game, he had found taking on the Black Ferns 15s squad a daunting challenge.

If you can find your way to Alice Soper’s (pre-match) piece on the BF’s prospects, you’ll discover a wide-eyed view of what is wrong with Kiwi women’s rugby at present. There’s plenty. (alicesoapbox.substack.com/p/where-do-our-black-ferns-grow?utm_campaign=email-half- post&r=3sm15f&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Bunting’s fortunes have changed now!