A. France
There are 38 names in the latest French squad:
Forwards:
BERNADOU, BERTHOUMIEU, BIGOT, BROSSEAU, CHAMPON, CISSOKHO, DESHAYE, ESCUDERO, FALL RACLOT, M. FELEU, T. FELEU, GROS, IKAHEHEGI, JOYEUX, KHALFAOUI, MAKA, MORLAND, MWAYEMBE, OKEMBA, RIFFONNEAU, SOCHAT, TOUYE (22)
Backs:
ARBEY, ARBEZ, BORDES, BOULARD, BOURDON SANSUS, BOURGEOIS, CHAMBON, DEZOU, GRISEZ, KONDE, LLORENS, M. MÉNAGER, NEISEN, QUEYROI, TUY, VERNIER (16)
Six names will go missing when the final choices are announced on 4 August.
There are five less familiar names from Fifteens: Khoudedia Cissokho, Hina Ikahegi, Taïna Maka, Marie Morland and Lila Dezou (from 7s).
Like the Black Ferns, the DoRs have been willing to include new(ish) names. How many will make the final cut?
Missing names include Montserrat Amédée and Romane Ménager. But Annaëlle Deshaye returns after injury.
The first target is a win over England in the “friendly” at Mont-de-Marsan. If they can overcome that high hurdle, who knows what they might achieve?
B. Here’s an update on the WER Legacy Cup Final. The hot favourites, Denver Onyx, beat New York exiles 53-13 in Denver.
Despite that runaway win the Exiles upset form to lead 10-0 early on.
Tahlia Brody, who recently signed on for Loughborough, was declared Player of the Tournament.
So ended a highly promising first season for WER. Our hope must be that it can go on growing nationwide.
Denver provided an enthusiastic crowd, but I see a potential danger there. USA Rugby can’t afford to have one centre of attraction, outshining all others. The six teams stretch from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It’s vital that support continues in every corner of the nation.
C. Fifty Days to Go
Countdowns are desperately important these days. “Ten, nine, eight …”
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons in Westminster, and a keen Rugby League supporter, organised a “50 days to Go” event, in support of the Red Roses. As he represents Welsh and Scottish MPs as well, I hope they didn’t feel left out. The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, made a supportive statement, but I suspect he needed more assistance in choosing his words.
The beautiful new trophy was on view.
D. Black Ferns v a Black Ferns XV
This was very much a probables v Possibles match. The “right” team won 45-12 in a match marked by outsize benches (28) and substitutions as you please!
In essence it was a last chance for certain players to catch the selectors’ eyes, not least Ruby Tui, who was missing from the last two selection calls. She did herself no harm, scoring both the XV’s tries and being prominent throughout.
It’s an indication of the management’s dilemmas that they face. At this late stage a vast number of players were still in with a change of selection.
Note: the start was delayed by the National Anthem and two hakas.
Their remaining fixture is against the Walleroos, who have never yet beaten them.
The final selection will be announced on 25 July.
E. In Brief
i. Sean Lynn has chosen two co-captains to replace Hannah Jones. They are Alex Callender and Kate Williams.
Their choice, while no great surprise, offers another slant on the increasingly popular choice of two captains: they both play in the back row, so will share a similar view of how a match is progressing. No question here of picking one back and one forward.
ii. No further news of R360, which is a surprise. Perhaps they are still searching for Emirs or Indian billionaires to add that extra something to the pay-packets of the players who register an interest.
Among the many news items that appeared on 9-10 June, City AM reported that only four women’s franchises would be established.
This runs counter to my earlier understanding that the men’s and women’s sectors would be treated equally.
