Canada v France I shouldn’t call this the third topsy-turvy result of the series, but pre-match France had looked the out-and-out winners. No, the two nations have been competing for that third place in the world hierarchy for a long time. Today the Maple Leafs put on a show to remember. France won the first
A recent presentation by French rugby is most revealing. It is entitled ‘Future under Construction’. So it confirms the management’s policy of taking the strategic view. Their eyes are set firmly on the next World Cup and are willing to accept bumps in the road ahead. The first big bump was the loss to Australia.
France v Australia, New Zealand v Wales The Wallaroos produced the shock of the tournament by outplaying France from start to finish. The two tries they scored in the first 20 minutes were a pointer to their form. Though Les Bleues showed more than mere flashes of brilliance, they were far too error-prone, losing line-outs
It’s tight at the top and the bottom of WXV1. Both Les Bleues and the Wallaroos will be hunting for every point they can scrape from this second-round clash. The French approach is to give everyone a go, but to ensure they have two competent Fifteens, one to start and one to finish each game.
France v New Zealand A quite outstanding, gripping match. France survived endless onslaughts by the white-shirted Ferns to repeat a final score that will stir memories of that French win over England at Grenoble six years ago. With all due deference to the other sixteen nations competing in the global fiesta that is WXV, another
We should have expected it, but we didn’t. This French squad to face the Black Ferns is far from what most people might have expected. How many French fans got it right? The squad: 15 Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais), 14 Cyrielle Banet (Montpellier HR), 13 Marine Ménager (Montpellier HR), 12 Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac), 11 Émilie Boulard
As the French squad fly out to New Zealand this Sunday, the management drop a big surprise on rugby fans. Manae Feleu is appointed to lead the team through the three WXV matches. ‘Surprise’ is hardly the word. The new co-coaches had caused an upset by demoting Gaëlle Hermet from the captaincy for the start
As I feared, some of the eighteen nations have already had to announce changes to their squads of 30. First came Scotland, where the uncapped Holly McIntyre had the misfortune to have to withdraw. She is replaced by Sarah Law. Now the French management has reported two changes: both Romane Ménager and Lilou Graciet are
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)
A digest of news from Australia, France, Aotearoa and your local bookshop Turmoil in Australia On 20 August the Wallaroos issued a combined statement condemning RA for its unbalanced treatment of them viz å viz the Wallabies. They claim that promises of a full-time professional coach and pro-contracts have not be fulfilled. Major players are
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