After a sluggish start to the Six Nations Tournament in Italy (22-12), the women’s XV of France, at 14 from the 20th minute, took place on Saturday in Cork (53-3), passing no less than nine tries to a young Ireland team under reconstruction.
Thanks to this improved victory on the second day, Audrey Forlani’s teammates are temporarily positioned in first place in the standings, in particular before the reception of Italy on Sunday by England, defending champion.
Impressive Blues
All mastery, serenity and opportunism, the Blues were therefore able to bounce back after a somewhat worrying first day of competition against the Transalpines in Parma, where the Blues had shown imprecision and feverishness.
In Cork, and despite the red card for a dangerous tackle awarded early in the game to the pillar Annaëlle Deshaye by the Scottish referee Hollie Davidson, who had officiated during the World Cup final between New Zealand and England in Auckland, the Blues clearly impressed.
Pauline Bourdon, elected “woman of the match”
On a synthetic lawn, conducive to attacking play, and despite an unfavorable swirling wind, the band of Pauline Bourdon, designated “woman of the match”, secured their improved victory from the first period, after a convincing start from the Irish, dressed navy blue shorts to “respond to the anxiety of players during menstruation”, as decided by their Federation before the competition.
Seven players took part in the blue fireworks, including Bourdon and Vernier who each offered a double. The XV of Clover, which had not qualified for the World Cup in the fall, had made four changes for this match, trusting many young players, little capped.
April 16 against Scotland
Dominated physically and technically, the teammates of Nicola Fryday, largely beaten (31-5) in Wales last weekend, could not do anything, even in numerical superiority during almost the entire meeting.
They even finished the match at 14 too, after a yellow card for hair pulling awarded to their back Meabh Deely. After a week off, the French, runners-up in 2022, will meet in Vannes on April 16 against Scotland.