The French women’s XV host Ireland on Saturday afternoon to launch the 2024 Six Nations Tournament.
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It’s time for the players to take the stage. One week after the end of the men’s edition, the six teams entered will kick off the women’s tournament, Saturday March 23 and Sunday March 24. Franceinfo: sport gives you four reasons to follow the Tournament carefully this year.
Because the XV of France has been waiting for its first title for six years
It’s starting to feel like an eternity. This year again, the Blues are attacking again to try to win a seventh coronation in the Tournament. They have not won there since their Grand Slam in 2018. Third in 2019, after an unexpected defeat against Italy, they have always finished in second place since then, behind England.
Carried by a clever mix of experience and youth – embodied by captain Manae Feleu (24 years old) -, and with three home matches (“clearly a plus, an extra soul”according to Gabrielle Vernier to AFP), the Bleues want to give everything to go to the end. “We will try to perform in all the matches and gain strength to hope to play a final at home”ensures the center of Blagnac.
Because the France-England rivalry is also major there
It has become the classic of the Women’s Six Nations Tournament. This year, the Tricolores and the English will cross swords on the last day, at the Chaban-Delmas stadium in Bordeaux, in a meeting that will surely be decisive for the title. “There is France, England and the others. Every year, the biggest challenge for the Blues is the English. And they have changed the calendar so that the high-stakes matches are on the last day”asks Marie Sempéré, consultant for France Télévisions.
It’s been three years since the Crunch served as a title match, being positioned on the final day. In 2022 and 2023, both teams arrived undefeated. In 2021, the duel was the poster child for a real final in a revamped competition format. Each time, the English were crowned. Before the first day, the match is already on everyone’s mind. “Every year, we progress, even if they do too. We know that it will come down to details”said Pauline Bourdon Sansus during the week.
Because the forces present are not the same as in the male table
Behind the French and English locomotives, the games are rather open, and the hierarchy does not necessarily resemble that of the Men’s Tournament. If the Irish team has dominated Europe for the last two seasons among men, its female counterpart, wooden spoon in 2023, is coming out of a difficult period on the field but also off it, with revelations from Telegraph about sexism within the federation a year ago.
On the contrary, the Welsh, third in 2023 with three victories, could give some comfort to their supporters, after a difficult men’s tournament where the Leek XV finished last. Especially since the final ranking will be important, since the best placed team outside England and France – already qualified – will obtain direct qualification for the 2025 World Cup, extended to 16 teams. The next two will be able to validate it during the next WXV in the fall. “We know that there will be a big battle for third place to qualify directly and avoid surprises”predicts Marie Sempéré.
Because the Tournament takes over the biggest stadiums
This year, the competition will partly be played in stadiums well known to Tournament fans. A year after breaking the attendance record for a women’s rugby match, with 58,000 spectators for England-France, the Red Roses will return to Twickenham for their match against Ireland. The attendance record (18,604 during France-Wales, last year in Grenoble) could also be broken in France during the Crunch, which will be held at the Chaban-Delmas stadium of the Union Bordeaux-Bègles and its 30,000 places.
“It’s also a recognition to play in the boys’ stadiums, in quotesaffirms Marie Sempéré. This makes the discipline even more accessible, making it even more popular.” The French will also play in another den of a Top 14 club, the Jean Bouin stadium, for the reception of Italy. The Welsh will play on the pitch at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on the final day.