The squad:

15 Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais), 14 Cyrielle Banet (Montpellier HR), 13 Marine Ménager (Montpellier HR), 12 Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac), 11 Émilie Boulard (Blagnac), 10 Lina Queyroi (Blagnac), 9 Alexandra Chambon (Grenoble Amazones), 1 Ambre Mwayembe (Grenoble Amazones), 2 Elisa Riffonneau (Trailfinders Women), 3 Clara Joyeux (Blagnac), 4 Manae Feleu (captain, Grenoble Amazones), 5 Madoussou Fall (Stade Bordelais), 6 Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac), 7 Gaëlle Hermet (Stade Toulousain), 8 Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain)

Bench: 16 Laure Touye (Montpellier HR), 17 Coco Lindelauf (Blagnac), 18 Assia Khalfaoui (Stade Bordelais), 19 Audrey Forlani (Blagnac), 20 Léa Champon (Grenoble Amazones), 21 Emeline Gros (Grenoble Amazones), 22 Pauline Bourdon-Sansus (Stade Toulousain), 23 Nassira Konde (Stade Bordelais)

David Ortiz explains the thinking like this: the group is still in a development stage. That helps to explain the inclusion of two youngsters in the front row, Ambre Mwayembe and Elisa Riffonneau. But it places a responsibility on Clara Joyeux’s head at tight-head to show them the way.

Gaëlle Mignot limits herself to generalities, foregrounding the squad’s sympathy for the men who came so close to reaching their target of a World Cup triumph, then echoing Ortiz’ line about gradual development.

It would be fascinating to know how many other head coaches would adopt the same approach when faced with a match of such singular importance.

Mignot recognises the magnitude of the task the team is taking on. Adaptability will be crucial for them, and there they have the advantage of a range of game-skills.

On the bench the selectors opt for a 6/2 split between forwards and backs. No need to underline the reasons why, or the perils it threatens. Out behind they have just a great scrum-half (who used to double as a 10) and a talented Sevens speedster, only recently transferred to the longer format. Should a back suffer an early injury…

This game is the pick of the weekend’s trio. The other four nations will learn a heap from it.

Details:

Saturday 21 October, KO 07.00 (UK time); Sky Stadiium, Wellington

Players from England, France, Wales, Canada, Australia and host country New Zealand were among the guests welcomed by local iwi Te Atiawa with a traditional pōwhiri at Rongomaraeroa Te Marae in Te Papa, Wellington.

Students from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna put on a stunning cultural performance, which showcased their expertise in poi, before gifting each of the six Captains with their own set of poi, created by the school pupils in each of the team’s colours.

With the WXV 1 trophy on display, event Master of Ceremonies, Ken Laban said: “Right here, right now, is the start of a new chapter. We have seen matches over the weekend in South Africa and Dubai with WXV2 and 3 getting underway, and this weekend is your turn – the teams in this room will write themselves into the history books as a new era of high-performance women’s rugby gets underway.”

WXV 1 ticket info

Players, coaches, hosts and guests then took part in a poi lesson with England Captain Marlie Packer blown away by the skill of the local students. “It was fun, but the bit where we were twirling [our poi] left, but moving to the right and coming back around, that’s when I found it quite a bit harder and it didn’t quite sit right for me, but we got there in the end.”

When asked who had won the poi challenge, New Zealand Co-Captain Kennedy Simon added: “I think it was Bunts actually [New Zealand Coach Allan Bunting]. It made me really smile up there when he was trying so hard.”

New Zealand Rugby Deputy Chair and former Black Fern Captain and three-time Rugby World Cup winner, Professor Dame Farah Palmer addressed the guests and remarked what a special event the WXV1 tournament promised to be. “Across the globe right now we have 18 teams in action across WXV 1, 2 and 3 – a new concept that is set to accelerate the international game at a time when it is already capturing the imagination of sports fans around the world.

“This event will further ignite the passion for women’s rugby that we saw spark to life here in Aotearoa during last year’s Rugby World Cup.”

The WXV 1 match schedule highlights how exciting the tournament will be for the top six women’s teams in the world – with little separating the best of the six nations and the best of the World Rugby Pacific Four Series teams.

Heavyweight match ups begin this weekend with the opening match between England v Australia kicking off at Sky Stadium in Wellington at 19:00 local time (GMT+12) on Friday 20 October, with a double-header Saturday featuring Canada v Wales at 16:00 before New Zealand and France square off at 19:00.

The Friday-Saturday tournament format heads to Forysth Barr Stadium in Dunedin the following weekend before culminating at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart in Auckland on 3 and 4 November.

With thanks to World Rugby