An emerging workforce
The management of Les Bleues had already sketched out a team framework during the victorious autumn tour, with in particular the arrival of talented young people, such as rear Chloé Jacquet or second-line Coco Lindelauf.
Choices validated by two successes against the
New Zealand "
Black Ferns ", world champions in title, and one against South Africa.
To discover
Ranking Tournament 6 of Nations
Calendar and results 6 Nations
The 2022 Tournament has made it possible to accentuate a few features and confirm a framework, or rather "
some
" frameworks.
Scrum half Laure Sansus, the Tournament's top scorer (six tries), although below her usual level against England, confirmed that in the absence of Pauline Bourdon, she had to be counted on.
“
She is a player who is able to animate the game well, to make breaches, to put us in the momentum, with a very interesting kicking game.
When she is close to the line, she tracks and as soon as there is an opportunity (to score), she is able to seize it
, ”sums up coach Annick Hayraud.
Other satisfactions, the second lines Madoussou Fall, impeccable throughout the competition (best tackler of the Blues with 64 tackles) and Audrey Forlani, the third line Romane Ménager, the back Emilie Boulard and the pillar Annaëlle Deshayes.
England, a pet peeve to tame
Beyond the fact that it deprives France of its first Grand Slam since 2018, the defeat in Bayonne in this 50th "
Crunch
", the tenth in a row, sounds like a cruel warning for Les Bleues.
Admittedly, they dominated without forcing themselves too much the other nations participating in the Tournament, but facing the "
Red Roses
", the shoe pinches.
And when we know that the two teams were poured into the same pool at the World Cup, there is reason to doubt and feed some complexes.
"
Not at all," replies full-back Jessy Trémoulière.
If we take away the balls carried which are their strong points (at the origin of the three English tries, editor's note), it is a completely different team in front of us.
What separates us from them are details, their pragmatism
”.
Read alsoXV of France women: “This defeat is not a setback” promises Annick Hayraud
"
There is certainly no fatalism because the World Cup will be another competition
," adds Thomas Darracq, the sports manager of Les Bleues.
Nevertheless, with an English team capable of scoring an average of ten tries per match against the "
small
" nations, and another three against the French, N.3 in the World Rugby rankings, one wonders how the world title could to escape such impressive "
red roses
" this year.
Game sectors to review
The five months between now and the World Cup will not be too much to erase the errors and inaccuracies which the Blues have sometimes shown, not to mention the relaxation in the second period during their first four meetings of the Tournament.
In Bayonne, "
we ran out of balls, which limited the ability to score, we had trouble alternating our initiatives, we have trouble getting out of the decided pattern: there is a maturity to be found to get this last level
, ”analyzes Thomas Darracq.
Les Bleues try to stop Red Roses hooker Lark Davies.
PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AFP
Annick Hayraud, for her part, regrets “
too many faults
” (eleven penalties conceded on Saturday) and “
all these balls that we lose
” (including four in touch).
"
It's up to us to be more perceptive in touch, simpler too, and to counter them in the air to avoid the balls carried
", adds the second row Céline Ferer.
Physically, it is clear that “
the weight/power ratio
” is favorable to them, notes captain Gaëlle Hermet, but “
we have other qualities
”, in particular defensive (134 tackles against 114) and techniques.
