Coaches Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have made six changes for Les Bleues’ WXV 1 opener against hosts Canada on Sunday.
France fly-half Lina Tuy will make her first Test start in Gloucester on Saturday as part of a new-look half-back partnership for the match against England.
France coaches Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have made four changes to their starting line-up for Saturday’s crunch Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2024 encounter with England in Bordeaux.
Gabrielle Vernier has faced England nine times in her career. And never, never has the French women’s centre beaten the Red Roses. The closest they have come is 20 points, a 10-33 home defeat on 14 November 2020 in Grenoble. Twice the margin has been just two points: 17-15 at Exeter on 16 November 2019 and by the exact same score at Villeneuve-d’Ascq on 30 April 2021.
France moved to within a point of England at the top of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2024 standings with a comfortable 38-15 defeat of Italy at Stade Jean Bouin.
With both teams losing their round two clashes in WXV1, Canada have bounced back by finishing their campaign with a famous 29-20 win over a desperate French outfit at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday.
Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant is looking to become the first player to win World Rugby’s prestigious Women’s 15s Player of the Year twice after being nominated for the second year in a row.
While France came into this game riding high, and Australia were smarting from a tough loss to England, the Wallaroos gained momentum early and rode it out, despite a pair of late French tries, to finish 20-29. Eva Karpani, Australia’s imperious tighthead prop, was the driving force behind an impressive win that showed her team are truly on the rise.
The six teams have been named ahead of the first round of WXV 1 in Wellington. All matches will be played at Sky Stadium, kicking off with England vs Australia on Friday 20th October. On Saturday 21st October Canada will face Wales before home side New Zealand take on France in a RWC2021 semi-final rematch.