They were tossed about, sometimes swept away, but they clung to who knows what ray of light in the night of Whangarei, in the north of New Zealand.
And finally, the Blues, victorious a week earlier from South Africa (40-5) did not go far from the feat against the XV of the Rose, beaten (7-13) by winning the defensive bonus.
The English, who took their series to 27 consecutive successes, an absolute record in international rugby, both women and men, even trembled at the very end of the match.
And yet, the British steamroller got to work very early on.
Undermining work that the Blue expected.
They therefore started by playing arms, multiplying the tackles on these Rose players who dominated in conquest, monopolized the balls, and developed their own, classic, effective rugby.
By resisting and throwing themselves into the English paws like hungry people, the Tricolors left forces and feathers.
Laure Sansus, the scrum half, voted best player of the 2022 Tournament, left a knee there, the left, after only twelve minutes of play (12th).
Five minutes later, it is the third center line Romane Ménager who remains on the ground, K.-O., on a regrouping.
She comes to her senses but has to leave the field permanently on concussion.
“It's very positive.
We give them an appointment.
»
Gaëlle Hermet, third line of the Blue
Dominating, confident, the English end up breaking through the wall.
Well launched, the center Emily Scarratt infiltrates the tricolor defense and plunges into the in-goal (24th).
She transforms her essay herself.
The numbers speak for themselves.
In the 26th minute, the Blues have already delivered 81 tackles, against only 14 for their opponents.
Thomas Darracq's players fold but stay in the game and the British help them by leaving a few chances on the way.
At halftime, they are only led by ten points.
The second period begins like the first, with an almost outrageous English domination.
However, the "invincibles" lack efficiency and fail to flatten the balls they carry to the goal line.
Emily Scarratt is responsible for adding to the addition on a penalty in front of the posts (13-0, 62nd).
A clearing then breaks through the New Zealand night.
On a cross at the foot of opener Caroline Drouin, winger Joanna Grisez recovers the ball and finds third line Gaëlle Hermet who ends up behind the line.
The transformation is successful by Caroline Drouin (13-7, 64th).
The one-sided match so far is restarted.
Boosted, the Blues make the English tremble who cannot find a solution.
But, curiously, while they have taken the upper hand, the Habs do not take advantage of it by constantly kicking the balls that enter their camp.
They nevertheless win the defensive bonus, a performance that almost guarantees them second place in the qualifying group for the quarter-finals before the last match, next Saturday against Fiji, and can nurture hopes for the future.
Because the Blues ended up making the big favorites doubt.
“It was not the most important match of the competition, underlines Gaëlle Hermet, but our defense was up to it.
It's very positive.
We give them an appointment.
»