Fans have been waiting for this for a year: the Women's Rugby World Cup will finally take place after a postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This ninth edition of the competition will be held from October 8 to November 12 in New Zealand, host country for the first time.
The matches will take place in three different stadiums, including the mythical Eden Park in Auckland, which should accommodate more than 30,000 spectators.
To discover
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The twelve Nations participating in the event are divided into three pools.
France are in Pool C alongside England, South Africa and Fiji.
Les Bleues are clearly among the favorites alongside the English – their pet peeve –, first in the World Rugby rankings and the New Zealanders, defending champions and five-time World Cup winners.
Six times bronze medalists, they will try to qualify for the final of the competition for the first time.
In 2017, they had thus failed in the semi-final against England.
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Substantial television coverage
After France Télévisions and Eurosport, which broadcast the 2017 World Cup, TF1 acquired the rights to the competition.
The channel will offer extensive coverage of the event over the air and digitally.
It will thus broadcast the fourteen most beautiful posters including all the matches of the French team, all the matches of the final phase (except the small final if France does not participate), the best group matches including the Australia/New Zealand clash as well as the third pool matches played on Sunday.
All the rest of the competition will be programmed on the MYTF1 platform.
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To follow this World Cup you will have to get up early, jet lag obliges.
Thus, the first group match of the French team against South Africa will be played on the night of Friday to Saturday October 8 and will start at 3:15 am French time.
Les Bleues will continue their competition on Saturday October 15 at 9 a.m. against England, a highly anticipated summit meeting.
Finally, they will complete the group stages against Fiji on Saturday, October 22 at 8:15 a.m.
Experts to bring the competition to life
TF1 will be able to count on the expertise of many specialists to comment on and bring the matches to life.
Journalist François Trillo, former French rugby union player (French champion in 1991 with Bègles) who worked for a long time on Canal+, will officiate alongside Laura Di Muzio, former player in Lille and French champion in 2016).
The second pair, 100% female, will be made up of Fanny Lechevestrier, journalist at Radio France and Yanna Rivoalen, 50 selections with the French team and 2016 French champion. Rémy Messegué, journalist specializing in women's rugby will also be commenting on some matches.
Inès Hirigoyen, for her part, will be TF1's special correspondent in New Zealand and will carry out the interviews on the sidelines.
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After each match of the French team, TF1 will offer the magazine “Coupe du monde de rugby 2021, Le Mag”, hosted by Thomas Mekhiche.
To analyze the matches, the journalist will be surrounded by Marie Sempéré, quadruple champion of France, and Coumba Diallo, 50 selections with the XV of France.
Finally, on the Saturdays and Sundays of the competition, TF1 will broadcast the short program “Journal de la Coupe du monde” at 12:15 p.m.
