Les Bleues “on a mission” to finally break the glass ceiling in New Zealand

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“Finding the taste of combat”. HAS a few days before the entry into the running of the Bleues in this World Cupthe coach-coach of the XV of France women Thomas Darracq announced the color by video-conference on Tuesday, September 27. Because since his appointment last May, he hammers it, “the mission” for this World Cup will be to finally reach the final. “We must have this ambition”he repeated again when announcing his list of 32 players selected in mid-September.

Arriving in New Zealand on September 23, the group had a week to recover. “We had a few days of acclimatization to try to cope with this eleven-hour jet lag and find a rhythm of sleep, explained the coach of the Blue. We resumed a progressive rhythm, with sometimes two sessions a day and bodybuilding.

All punctuated by a “opposition” of three times fifteen minutes against Australia, Saturday September 30. A copious but necessary program, before fully immersing yourself in the competition.

It must be said that the 2022 vintage will have the heavy task of defeating the Indian sign. In nine participations in the World Cup, France has always climbed into the last four (except in 1998), without ever reaching the final. In 2017, during the last disputed edition, the women’s XV of France took third place in Ireland, for the sixth time in its history.

It is nevertheless difficult to know if the Blue will be able to compete with the gratin of world rugby – in other words the English and the New Zealanders – during the next five weeks. Confidence, garnered over a resounding Grand Slam at the 2018 6 Nations Tournament, having withered somewhat this year.

“We noticed a difficulty in our highlights: an inability to score and place our game. The few balls and the stress did not allow the same fluidity as during the autumn tour.”

Thomas Darracq, coach-coach of the XV of France women

to AFP in July to take stock of the Six Nations Tournament

Last November, the XV of France seemed untouchable after a tour concluded with a double success against New Zealand, reigning world champion. The prospect of a title this fall was then even mentioned with a promising new generation…

Far from the speech held in September after the two missed performances against Italy: a victory without shining in Nice, and a worrying defeat in Piedmont. “We’re a little floundering, we’re not threatening enough for my taste. We have the chances, but we don’t put them to the end. It’s frustrating”, reacted scrum half Laure Sansus, who must hang up after the World Cup.

To regain momentum, the one who was promoted to coach Les Bleues instead ofAnnick Hayraud (relegated to the simple rank of manager before the summer), made strong choices. Watchword ? “Versatility”.

The second line Audrey Forlani and the wingers Cyrielle Banet and Caroline Boujard were not retained in the group of 32 Bleues who will start the World Cup on Saturday. While the septist Joanna Grisez, novice in rugby union, was invited to the list as a last minute surprise.

“This group shows a real collective ambition: we do not feel in them a desire to walk on each other. On the contrary, they work together and encourage each other”, Darracq explained a few weeks ago. So he will need everyone in New Zealand. Starting with captain Gaëlle Hermet, injured in a knee against Italy, and a little tight for the first match of the competition.

The World must precisely start piano for the Blue who will have the honor of playing the opening match against South Africa, the most affordable opponent of Pool C on paper. Because if the Springboks are reigning world champions for men, the South Africans only point to 11th place in the World Rugby rankings and have never done better than 10th place in the World Cup. The French had also had a glimpse of the level differential in November whenthey had beaten them (46-3) in the test match.

But the second meeting against England, the big favorite of the competition, will be of a completely different order. The Red Roses have won the last four 6 Nations Tournaments and remain on an impressive streak of 24 consecutive victories. Thomas Darracq’s players will therefore have a lot to do to even hang them, they whose last victory against the English dates back to March 10, 2018 (18-17), in the Tournament which had led the Blues to the Grand Slam.

Last opponent: the Fijians, in the last match. If the Oceanians only point to 21st in the world, they can count on a solid asset: their rugby sevens players, bronze medalists at the Tokyo Games in 2021. It must be said that they were not going to miss the first World Cup in the history of their island, usually ousted from qualifying because of the automatic qualifications of Australia and New Zealand. Les Bleues will therefore have to be wary of it to dream of appearing in the final, at Eden Park, on November 12.

The Blue calendar

Saturday October 8: France – South Africa, at 3:15 a.m. French time – Eden Park (Auckland)

Saturday October 15: England – Franceat 9 a.m. – Okara Park (Whangarei)

Saturday October 22: France – Fiji, at 8:15 a.m. – Okara Park (Whangarei)


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