The XV of France challenges Scotland on Sunday, with seven changes in the starting line-up compared to the last match against Ireland.
Renewal within the XV of France. After two fairly similar compositions during the first two matches of the Six Nations Tournament (against Italy and Ireland), the French staff made seven changes in the fifteen to receive Scotland, in Vannes, Sunday April 16 ( live on France 2 and france.tv).
At kick-off, on the lawn of the Rabine stadium, almost no line will resemble those of the starting line-up against Ireland two weeks earlier. The two coaches of the XV of France, Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz, decided on this broad review of the workforce to “create emulation at group level”explained the co-selector.
“We are simply in the logic of our tournament. Above all on the purely strategic part, with girls who are different, different profiles, who can each also bring different things”, justified the two coaches at a press conference on Friday. The context is, moreover, favorable to these tests, at home against an opponent in difficulty, who lost their first two meetings, and who remains on a frustrating defeat at home against Wales.
Building a diverse and complementary group
This wave of changes is symbolized by several returns, in the starting fifteen as well as in the group. This is particularly the case of the two historic XV of France, Gaëlle Hermet and Jessy Trémoulière, established for the first time under the new duo of coaches. For the opening half, tenure is like a last stand since she is playing her last tournament. Gaëlle Hermet, former captain of this team, has the opportunity on the other hand to show herself beyond the role of “line leader” For “provide expertise at the end of the match” assigned to him since the start of the Tournament.
Because the two coaches also have the will to work to form a complete group, capable of holding a whole match at a high level, at the beginning as well as at the end. “We have an overall vision which is to build a team that performs as well as possible over 80 minutes and in this sense, we try to build our group so that all the girls can start or finish a match as it happens. must”, unveiled David Ortiz. With this turnover, they will thus test the qualities, from the kick-off, of certain substitutes of the first two games, like Hermet, and vice versa. Also symbol of this desire for diversity and complementarity, the returns on the bench of Romane Ménager, package for the start of the Tournament, of Maëlle Filopon and Julie Annery, not yet used since the start of the competition.
Changes on the pitch and on the bench
Beyond the workforce review, this turnover still includes some forced replacements. The Bordelaise Anaëlle Deshayes being suspended until the end of the Tournament, Yllana Brosseau is propelled as the starting left pillar. Package, Manaé Feleu must also be replaced by Maëlle Picut.
The young player from Blagnac is one of the young individuals who will also be tested and observed this weekend. Returning to the game for his first two selections against Italy and Ireland, Picut will know, at 23, his first tenure in the blue jersey. Mélissande Llorens, who is on the team sheet for the first time in this Tournament, on the wings of a three-quarter line which is turning well, and whose last tenure dates back to the group stage of the World Cup, will also be under the spotlight.
For their third match, David Ortiz and Gaëlle Mignot therefore continue to test their squad and refine its construction. After these first three meetings, they will have observed about thirty different players, a good part of the enlarged group. What to get some first ideas for the future.