France: Les Bleues are aiming for “a hold-up” and the Grand Slam in their pet peeve

Here we are. As expected, England and France will challenge each other on Saturday at Twickenham to win the Six Nations Tournament, with the Grand Slam as the icing on the big cake. “We are where we wanted to be, assures coach Gaëlle Mignot who, associated with David Ortiz, took over from Thomas Darracq after third place at the World Cup this fall in New Zealand. As much on the accounting level as on the level of the game, with great efforts on the defensive circuit. There are also benchmarks on the offensive level. Each manages to find its place. »

The state of grace continues for the new management, while the end of the previous era had been marked by a thick distrust of the players with regard to the staff, due in particular to the game project deemed padlocked. After a sluggish start in Italy (12-22), the Bleues of the new captain Audrey Forlani are clearly up to speed, beating in turn Ireland (3-53), Scotland (55-0) and the Wales (39-14).

But facing them now stands a white wall: the English have lost only one of their last 35 games. Bad luck, it was the World Cup final, against hosts New Zealand (34-31)… With 42,579 spectators at Eden Park in Auckland on November 12, women’s rugby set a new record, which will be broken at Twickenham, where some 55,000 people are expected.

Boys, an example to follow

“No one has experienced this influx, it will be the same for the English, wants to believe the three-quarter center Gabrielle Vernier. It’s a global spectacle for our sport, and we’re lucky to be part of it. We feel a great dynamic in a group that is being built. We have all the weapons in hand to try to carry out a heist. »

On hostile ground, against an opponent who crushed the other four nations in this Tournament by an average score of 58-3, a victory would look like a good heist, indeed. Antoine Dupont and his friends showed the way (53-10 success) a month and a half ago. But the Red Roses are much more dominant in Europe than their male counterparts, with four Grand Slams in a row and 11 victories in a row against the Blues, two series in progress…

A series? What series ?

“We did not dwell on the subject, promises the 3rd center line Charlotte Escudero. Me, for example, I only played once against the English. ” ” It will be my first match against them, engages the very lively winger Mélissande Llorens, unstoppable at the end of the competition, with three tries in the key. I have no past against this team. “We understood the message, summarized in case by David Ortiz: “We are not talking about dynamics, because it is a new story that we started writing a month ago. »

From the past, let’s wipe the slate clean, therefore, even if the opponent, whose historic coach Simon Middleton will complete a seven-year adventure on Saturday, seems even more complete than before. Traditionally ruthless on balls carried near the opposing line, the English have enriched their panoply, as indicated by Gabrielle Vernier: “With new girls, they manage to maintain an efficiency that is still just as impressive, assures the center of Blagnac, the top club -garonnais main supplier of the Blue (six holders this Saturday). They have a big front eight, but also wingers who have fire in their legs and who cross. »

A feat across the Channel would validate the promises sown by the French and greeted by sold-out stadiums in Vannes against the Scots (10,000 people), then in Grenoble ahead of the Welsh (18,604 spectators, an ephemeral record in the Women’s VI Nations Tournament since he will be beaten at Twickenham).

It would also be the most beautiful outing for the opening half Jessy Trémoulière, on the occasion of his 78th and final selection. The 30-year-old Auvergne was in the team that last beat the English on the road to the 2018 Grand Slam (18-17 in Grenoble). Crowned best player in the world that year, she had even planted the winning try at the last minute.


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