fervor of the public, performance by Lina Queyroi, lack of offensive efficiency… What we liked and disliked about the France-Ireland match

Les Bleues began their Six Nations Tournament with a large improved victory (38-17) against the XV du Trèfle, Saturday at Le Mans.

A good start and areas of work. The French XV won against Ireland (38-17) for their first match of the Six Nations Tournament, Saturday March 23, at Le Mans. With overall domination and five tries scored, the Blues have secured their entry into contention and many positive points can be highlighted, even if offensive efficiency still needs to be worked on.

We liked

A very hot Le Mans crowd

This is the first time that the French women’s XV played at Le Mans, and the atmosphere will surely make them want to come back. For 80 minutes, the Blues were pushed by a very hot Marie-Marvingt stadium, filled with 15,559 spectators, and even greeted by the Irish after the match. “It was so good to meet the French public again, we were very well received, we felt that the people were behind us. Thanks to them”, greeted French captain Manae Feleu after the meeting. At the final whistle, Les Bleues celebrated the result with their audience, in front of whom they had not played since the last Tournament, by singing and dancing. They also did a long lap of honor, accompanied by a clapping in front of a stand.

Improved victory

In a Tournament whose road seems already set towards the final announced against England at the end of April, any opportunity to refuel is a good one to take. Saturday afternoon, the French maximized their outing on the pitch and went for the four points of victory, but also that of the offensive bonus, after a long fight against the Irish defense. They first thought they had this fourth significant try thanks to Kelly Arbey, just before the hour mark (a try ultimately refused after the call for the video), but it was ultimately the Bordeaux hooker Agathe Sochat who went flattening for the fourth time a few minutes after her young teammate. “Ona victory, we have the bonus that we wanted to get, that’s all that matters to us”assured Manae Feleu, when asked what she chose to remember from the match.

The brilliance of Lina Queyroi at the opening

For her first start in the Six Nations Tournament, Lina Queyroi did not break under the pressure, she who has been responsible since last fall for replacing the retired Jessy Trémoulière at the opening. Well surrounded by Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Emilie Boulard, the Blagnac player guided the game, served her teammates well, and gained many meters on foot (336, best tricolor total). Impeccable on foot (100% success, four conversions and a penalty), she is the Frenchwoman who scored the most points this afternoon, and left the pitch to the applause of the public.

The beautiful Irish resistance

Largely beaten, the Irish still frustrated the French players for a long time with their iron defense. In the wake of a very active first line Linda Djougang – Neve Jones – Christy Haney, the players of the XV du Trèfle annihilated several French offensives, in their 22 meters, but also closer to their goal line. “The Irish team was very solid in its defense, it is a team which offered real work of density in midfield”, analyzed the Blue coach, David Ortiz, at a press conference. As proof, the Irish finished the match with four players with more than 20 tackles in the match…

We liked less

Still concerns with offensive realism

Despite the big victory, everything was not perfect for the Blues, who came up against a very good Irish defense and who had to work hard to score. Having entered the opposing 22 meters 15 times, they left with five tries, and 2.3 points per entry, a ratio which can be improved. “Today, we wanted to produce play, play standing up, keep the ball alive, add volume”explained French coach Gaëlle Mignot after the match. “Now, he We’re going to have to find the balance between playing and keeping these balls.” “There are big points on which we can work, and we must work”abounded in the mixed zone Agathe Sochat, author of the fourth French try after a quarter of an hour of pressure in the Irish camp in the middle of the second act.

Ireland largely dominated

If Ireland had the opportunity to shine defensively, it is also because they were dominated in all sectors throughout the match. Against the French, they did not hold the ball much (43% possession), did not settle much in the opposing half of the field (33% occupancy), and went to score one of their two tries in taking speed from the Blue certainly a little too euphoric on the dismissal of the fifth try. Author of tactical changes from the break to rotate his group, the coach of the XV du Trèfle, Scott Bermand, himself conceded that the Tournament was still long and that the fight of his players was not necessarily today against Les Bleues, but perhaps more next week at home against Italy.