“The sooner we mark the spirits, the faster we will show the value of the France team”, explained, in The team, Thomas Darracq, the sports manager of the XV de France feminine. Be reassured, the Blue have marked their territory by knocking out New Zealand (38-13), Saturday, November 13, at the Hameau de Pau stadium.
A week after their demonstration against South Africa (46-3) at the opening of the autumn tour, the players of Annick Hayraud confirmed in the face of opposition from a higher level. Faced with the Black Ferns, five-time world champions, the France team achieved a great score less than a year from the next World Cup (October 8-November 12, 2022), in New Zealand. “This is the culmination of a lot of work for months, rejoiced captain Gaëlle Hermet at the microphone of France 2. We said we wanted to show character, it’s validated. “
???? ?? ????????! The Bleues bring down for the 3rd consecutive time the @BlackFerns this afternoon in Pau with 6th… https://t.co/m3Edzmc2OW
Third victory in a row against New Zealand
Admittedly, the New Zealand women do not dominate as much as in recent years and in particular their last world title in 2017. They come out of two severe defeats against England (43-12 and 56-15) in this month of November . And the French could also build on their last two successes against the Blacks Ferns in 2018 (30-27) and in 2019 (25-16).
If the XV of France was now uninhibited against the queens of world rugby, he had never managed to dominate them in such widths: six tries to one. The addition could have been even heavier without the test at the end of the meeting of Eloise Blackwell (72e), yet contentious.
From the start of the match, the Blues were dominant by scoring three tries before half-time (19-6). The first, signed Cyrielle Banet (11e), intervened barely after ten minutes of play following a maul, which the English had already used and abused wisely against the New Zealand women, friable in defense.
Banet did it again by receiving a magnificent kick from left to right from the Gabrielle Vernier center, at the end of a school action (15e).
?? What an action! Les Bleues put on a show in Pau! ?? The #XVdeFrance leads 12-6 thanks to Cyri’s remarkable double… https://t.co/DQsS6Hfepf
The exit for concussion protocol of winger Caroline Boujard, one of the most enduring blue strikers, did not disrupt the France team. The young Chloé Jacquet (19), Olympic vice-champion at seven in Tokyo, came into play at the back position and distinguished herself by scoring her first international try at fifteen for her second selection (39e).
Revenge next weekend
The Blue drove home the point in the second half, scoring three new tries each time on carried balls, definitely a black spot for the New Zealanders. Full-back Emilie Boulard (47e), repositioned on the wing, the hooker Agathe Sochat (63e) and the substitute scrum half Laure Sansus (70e) each flattened in turn to the cheers of a Béarn audience filled with around 12,000 spectators.
Untouchables! ? #XVdeFrance offers itself a sixth try thanks to Laure Sansus ?? #FRANZL Follow the end of the match ▶… https://t.co/gXdk4f7XH5
French and New Zealand women will meet again next Saturday, November 20, at the Pierre-Fabre stadium in Castres, to complete the autumn tour.