Last Friday the French squad assembled at the Roissy- Charles de Gaulle Airport outside Paris.
The plane flew them to London from where a coach hauled down the long winding road to Exeter.
But the accommodation awaiting them there made up for the rigours of the journey. This was Woodbury Park; a few miles outside the city in delightful Devon countryside.
There they could enjoy some of the finer things in life, including a golf course, but did the logistics officer really have to add in a fitness centre?
Yes! Serious matters to come.
But first the official reception, which they shared with the Italians who are also based nearby. The setting took their breath away: outside and inside the Cathedral. Some 600 people were present, including players from Exeter Chiefs and others from neighbouring clubs. They and the clergy added to the warmth of the welcome.
The task ahead
On Saturday the two teams meet at Sandy Park to get their campaigns underway.
The route the French took to this point was unusual, to say the least – a long series of training sessions throughout the summer, but only a single warm-up match.
The opposition? England, of course. Their previous encounter ranked high in the list of dramatic crunches. The hosts just squeezed home – at what we must now call Twickenham Stadium, according to a diktat from World Rugby – at least until the final is done. Can we possibly get used to that funny place-name?
But the game at Mont-de-Marsan turned into a disaster for Les Bleues. That was what a forest of French critics made of it. It was not the preparation they had intended for their latest attempt to beat history and reach the top step of the podium.
More personal
Adding to the emotions, we know that one of the two co-captains, Marine Menager, will be playing her last game of rugby, when her side next fails to advance.
Other players have made a similar announcement, but for Marine it carries more emotional weight, since her sister won’t be at her side onfield. They have been twin-cornerstones of the side for nearly a decade.
Agathe Gerin experienced a quite different type of journey. She was given permission to leave the group to make a hectic dash to Bordeaux to greet her new-born son Leonard.
She was out and back within about 48 hours. However exhausted she may have been, she will be full of joy.
And the selectors have found a place for her in the first squad. It is:
1 BROSSEAU 2 BIGOT 3 KHALFAOUI 4 M. FELEU 5 FALL RACLOT 6 ESCUDERO 7 CHAMPON 8 T. FELEU 9 CHAMPON 10 ARBEZ 11 ARBEY 12 VERNIER 13 M. MENAGER 14 GRISEZ 15 BOURGEOIS
16 GERIN 17 DESHAYE 18 BERNADOU 19 BERTHOUMIEU 20 OKEMBA 21 QUEYROI 22 TUY 23 NEISEN
There are three changes to the starting 15; I assume the props are simply rotating, but the other change is far more significant: Gabrielle Vernier slips back into the 12 shirt to bring extra vim and know-how in attack and defence.
Pauline Bourdon-Sansus must still serve one more match ban till she can reappear. Lina Queyroi has (been) volunteered as the back-up No 9.
This will be another fascinating encounter. Quite apart from the ancient trans-alpine rivalry, we’ll see which set of coaches has succeeded in correcting past weaknesses and sending their team on to the battlefield better prepared.
Details:
Saturday 23 August, Sandy Park, Exeter
Coverage: worldwide
