Saturday afternoon, 3:15 p.m., in Bayonne, in a Jean Dauger stadium which promises to be packed, the French challenge the XV de la Rose for the last day of the 6 nations women’s rugby tournament. France is only one point ahead of England, so this crunch is decisive: the French can get the sixth grand slam in their history. Among the 23 players of the France team, there are some Lionesses from Stade Bordelais Rugby. In particular the second row Madoussou Fall, holder in the first 4 games, and still announced in the 15 today, but also the hooker Agathe Sochat.
“Stade Bordelais is happy and proud to present these players in the France group“, says Lionesses coach Florent Torregaray. “We work together with the French team so that the girls are ready on D-Day. Against England, there will be enormous physical density. The girls will be ready“.
This requirement in the fight, Madoussou Fall and his 1.86 m will be there to take care of it. The second line makes a big tournament. “She answered present on the physical commitment, the mobility, and her strong point in the game: the defensive aspect“, comments Florent Torregaray, who talks about “double XL performance“. Agathe Sochat, who played less because she became a mother during the tournament, remains a safe bet according to his trainer.
Yllana Brosseau and Assia Khalfaoui also mobilized
For this match against the English, the pillar Yllana Brosseau also appears on the score sheet, even if it is on the bench of substitutes. The young player missed most of the tournament due to injury. Which is not the case of Assia Khalfaoui. This other pillar will not play against the English, but she has participated in all the other matches of this 6 nations. Satisfaction for Florent Torregaray, who recalls that she “discovered the high level: it’s great!“
Happy to contribute to the success of the French team, and the visibility that this brings
For those they will play, to face England is to face a big chunk. “England is the best today, the pinnacle of the 6 nations tournament“, recalls the coach of the Stadium. The one who is “happy to contribute to the success of the French team, and the visibility that this can bring to women’s rugby“Now expects to find his players, as well as the Scottish Rhona Lloyd, from Monday.
“We have learned to manage without them, we will make sure that they fit well into the beautiful dynamic that we have managed to create for several weeks.“, insists Florent Torregaray, whose team is at the top of pool 2 of the first division of women’s rugby. See you from May 8, 3 p.m., for the last match of pool 2 against Blagnac. The players will then continue their season with the quarter-finals of the championship, since thanks to its good season, Stade Bordelais is already qualified for the final stages of the competition.