What if the Bleues, determined to conquer the first World Cup final in the history of French women’s rugby, overthrew the New Zealand “Black Ferns”, paralyzed by the challenge in front of their crowd, Saturday (7:30) in Auckland? What if Gaëlle Hermet’s armband, best defense of the last four with only 21 points conceded, managed to withstand the offensive fury of teammates Ruby Tui and other Portia Woodman, with their 209 points, including 35 tries? And if these Tricolor, after a mixed Six Nations Tournament, finished in second place, and a far from serene preparation for the World Cup, have taken “the keys to the truck” to offer France in women’s rugby this final that their counterparts have already achieved three times (1987, 1999 and 2011)?
“Saturday’s goal is to win, do the best possible performance, get the victory and this place in the final. We are able to do it but we will have to put on a very great performance, ”replied triplet Emilie Boulard.
The challenge that awaits Les Bleues is considerable: to face the five-time New Zealand world champions (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2017) in the country of rugby, in the temple of Eden Park which, for the occasion, will welcome almost 40,000 spectators. . “We are approaching this match with our feet on the ground, assures the third line Marjorie Mayans. We beat them twice last fall (38-13 in Pau and 29-7 in Castres), so we don’t worry too much, but we think we have a big card to play ”.
Game of football
If the French management says “very humbly” that the “Black Ferns” are the favorites, they also know that this female XV has enough resources to create a surprise. “Of course, we will have to go beyond” the context of the match, the first between the two teams in New Zealand, “but we have a group that has the ability to keep up with events and opponents when it comes. To it. Must,” he said. the assistant coach in charge of the scrum, David Ortiz.
“Boys like girls, for a long time, we have always seen them as the ‘New Zealand ogres’: we played them little, there was the haka, the whole culture behind them, their strength and their power. Today all of this has been significantly reduced, because we meet them more often, because we have also beaten them recently, ”explains coach Thomas Darracq.
The wise
New Zeland : Holmes – Tui, Fluhler, Fitzpatrick, Woodman – (o) Demant (cap.), (M) Cocksedge – Hirini, Mikaele-Tu’u, A. Brenmer – C. Brenmer, Roos – Rule, Ponsonby, Love
Substitutes : Connor, Murray, Taumata, Ngan-Woo, Simon, Bayler, Tubic, Leti-I’iga
Coaches : Wayne Smith, Wesley Clarke and Whitney Hansen
France : Boulard – Grisez, Filopon, Vernier, M. Ménager – (o) Drouin, (m) Bourdon – Escudero, R. Ménager, Hermet (cap.) – Fall, Ferer – Joyeux, Sochat, Deshaye
Substitutes : Domain, Lindelauf, Khalfaoui, N’Diaye, Maya, Chambon, Queyroi, Jacquet
Trainer : Thomas Darracq
Referee : Joy Neville (IRL)
On the side of the New Zealanders, where on Saturday 12 players beaten by the French will appear on the scoresheet during their tour in autumn 2021, there is a cautious speech. “What happened in the past remains the past. It’s a game like any other and we know they’ll do anything, but we’ll do the same, “said full-back Renee Holmes.” Their defensive pressure is great and they run very fast, “center Theresa Fitzpatrick said.
Their coach, former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith, is wary of Emilie Boulard and opening midfielder Caroline Drouin, who are able to establish territorial dominance for the Bleues thanks to their game of kicks, and “that it’s easy to counter “.
In front of their families, the French would still see themselves accomplished the feat, as the center Gabrielle Vernier slips: “just for us this group, reaching this final would be fantastic”.
