Appointed coach-coaches at the end of December 2022, Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz will lead their second match at the head of the women’s XV of France, against Ireland on Saturday.
Their watchword? The distribution. Appointed co-selectors-coaches of the women’s XV of France in December, after the departure of Thomas Darracq at the end of the World Cup, Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz now embody a two-headed management, unusual, but which does not seem not confuse the players. After a first match at the head of the Bleues against Italy (22-12 victory), the pair will lead the XV of France for their second match in the Six Nations Tournament, Saturday 1er April, at 4:15 p.m., in Ireland.
They did not know each other before preparing for the 2022 World Cup, but now speak with one voice. With the players, or at a press conference, Gaëlle Mignot, former captain of the Bleues, and David Ortiz, who passed through the staff of Agen and youth selections, meticulously share the floor. “When the composition is announced, they do everything in pairs, each in turn, and press on different things”says Gabrielle Vernier, three-quarter center of the XV of France. “The most important thing is that everyone can express themselves freely, and that we can share our different ideas. I believe that there is a lot of complementarity in the work we do and that requires a lot of communicationexplains David Ortiz. We spend the day sharing information”.
A very clear framework
While disagreements between the players and Thomas Darracq broke out during the World Cup, the page seems to have turned since the appointment of this coaching duo. “David and Gaëlle showed great things during this World Cup, and we knew we could count on them. So everyone left with the banana and we see happy girls”enthuses Jessy Trémoulière, flyhalf voted best player in the world in 2018. To get off to a good start, the two coaches organized a seminar in Capbreton in January, in order to present their project, with the aim of building a winning team for the next World Cup, in 2025. “They laid very clear foundations on the framework they wanted and on the things they no longer wanted, and we very quickly agreed with them and with these values which seem more coherent to us”adds Gabrielle Vernier.
These shared values, work and high standards, are put forward by the two coaches to explain their complementarity, both off the field and on the field, where they once again share the roles. “They divide up the sectors during training. David is more in charge of the defense and Gaëlle of the offensive circulation “outlines the center three-quarter length. “The rather positive aspect is that we share the work, which also makes it possible to lighten the days”notes David Ortiz.
And even when it comes time to make choices, their agreement works: “We sometimes have ideas that can differ, but we will present our arguments and when the final choice is made, we will have heard everyone’s arguments to find common ground, because our priority is for the team to perform.assures Gaëlle Mignot, the only woman at the head of a team in this Six Nations Tournament. We are also lucky to be surrounded by a staff on which we can rely if we cannot make a decision.”.
To get inspired and open this new cycle for the women’s XV of France, Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz shared a few days of immersion with Fabien Galthié’s men’s team, during its last tournament. They now hope that their players will experience the same success as their male counterparts, crowned last year and second in 2023.