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France team to face Ireland in Women's Six Nations opener
Gaelle Mignot and David Ortiz have named their side to face Ireland in the first round of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations on 22 March.
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The team will be led by co-captains Manae Feleu, who starts in the second row (alongside Madoussou Fall-Raclot), and Marine Menager, who is named on the left wing.
From their last outing against New Zealand in WXV 1 in October 2024, Agathe Sochat and Yllana Brosseau retain their positions at hooker and loosehead prop respectively and will be joined in the front row by Rose Bernadou. The tighthead was a replacement in their last match but is named to start against Ireland with Assia Khalfaoui unavailable due to a knee injury.
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Seraphine Okemba and Lea Champon will make their first Six Nations appearances, the latter starting on the bench and sevens star Okemba, who switched to XVs during WXV, is named to start at openside flanker alongside Charlotte Escudero and Teani Feleu in the back row.
Carla Arbez will make her first appearance for France since November 2023 and will start at fly-half alongside the most-capped player in the current squad, scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus (61 caps).
The centre partnership of Gabrielle Vernier and Nassira Konde remains the same as their three WXV matches last year.
Morgane Bourgeois, who missed WXV, will start at full-back, and the right wing will be occupied by Mélissande Llorems Vignères.
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France won just one match at WXV, against the USA, which saw them finish second from last in Vancouver. Les Bleues last won the Women’s Six Nations title in 2018 and will be eager to replicate the victory of their men’s team in the Men’s Six Nations.
France team vs Ireland, Kingspan Stadium, 22 March
15. Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais)
14. Melissande Llorems Vignères (Blagnac RF)
13. Nassira Konde (Stade Bordelais)
12. Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac RF)
11. Marine Menager (Montpellier HR) CC
10. Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais)
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9. Pauline Bourdon-Sansus (Stade Toulousain)
1. Yllana Brosseau (Stade Bordelais)
2. Agathe Sochat (Stade Bordelais)
3. Rose Bernadou (Montpellier HR)
4. Manae Feleu (FC Grenoble Amazones) CC
5. Madoussou Fall-Raclot (Stade Bordelais)
6. Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain)
7. Seraphine Okemba (LOU Rugby)
8. Teani Feleu (FC Grenoble Amazones)
Replacements
16. Manon Bigot (Blagnac RF)
17. Ambre Mwayembe (FC Grenoble Amazones)
18. Clara Joyeux (Blagnac RF)
19. Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac RF)
20. Lea Champon (FC Grenoble Amazones)
21. Alexandra Chambon (FC Grenoble Amazones)
22. Lina Queyroi (Stade Toulousain)
23. Emilie Boulard (Blagnac RF)
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