The women's XV of France came very close to the feat, but the Bleues lost on the wire against New Zealand, victorious 25-24 in the semi-finals of the World Cup on Saturday in Auckland, after a penalty missed by Caroline Drouin at the last minute.
The Black Ferns, reigning world champions, will meet England in the final next Saturday, victorious over Canada (26-19), which Les Bleues will face for the bronze medal.
To discover
The 2023 World Cup schedule
The French, qualified for the eighth time in the semi-finals of a World Cup, still failed at the gates of the final, against a team they had just beaten four times in a row.
For this first match between the two nations on New Zealand soil, in a sparse Eden Park, the suspense lasted until the end, with this penalty obtained by the Blues at the last minute but that Caroline Drouin, otherwise impeccable, failed to pass.