They have been working for this meeting for five years. The women’s XV of France begins the World Cup on Saturday against South Africa (3:15 a.m. French time) with a clear ambition: to win the title. Les Bleues have never done better than a third place at a World Cup and are determined to make this edition, which is being held in New Zealand, theirs.
Semi-finalists in the first edition in 1991, Les Bleues have never broken the glass ceiling of the bronze medal, obtained in six of the eight editions of the competition (1991, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2017) . A major challenge therefore awaits the 32 players selected for this World Cup (October 8-November 12), postponed for a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The French women’s team has never been world champion, that’s what motivates us every day. It’s been five years that we work very hard to be“, sums up the experienced second line Safi N’Diaye (34 years old, 86 caps).
“The Federation does not put as many means in place so that, in the end, we do not qualify or that we finish third“, she underlines. For the Montpellier player, for whom this is the third World Cup, “we know it will be difficult (…) we are not pretentious, we will not arrive there as favorites“. In fact, despite a more than honorable course for a year – two convincing victories against the reigning world champions New Zealand in the fall of 2021 and a second place in the Six Nations Tournament behind England -, the French women present themselves as outsiders, “humble and hungry“according to the motto they had printed on their shirts.
Classification Race
To achieve their goals, they will need to be well ranked at the end of the final stages and afford a quarter within their reach, which will require a good run in their Pool C, where they will face England, in the lead. in the world rankings and big favourites, as well as South Africa and Fiji. It is necessary “to start this competition strong to build up confidence and above all to take the points“, warns Thomas Darracq, their coach-trainer.
For the man who took over as head of the team in replacement of Annick Hayraud, who became manager, the first phase of the competition is akin to a “classification race for the quarter-finals“, which eight of the twelve teams will compete in. Especially since the biggest nations “worked hard“, in the words of the captain of the Bleues Gaëlle Hermet, and above all impressed: the New Zealand “Black Ferns” thus beat (95-12) the Japanese in a warm-up match and the English “Red Roses” crushed (73 -7) the Welsh before flying to New Zealand.
When the French have, they, sluggishly dominated Italy (21-0) before being beaten by these same Transalpine (26-19). What give cold sweats to their supporters. In those two games,we have not been faithful to who we are, scrum-half Alexandra Chambon assured AFP. But they may be beneficial to show something else and take our revenge on ourselves“. Appointment taken against South Africa, for the first match of the Blue ones Saturday (03h15).