The management of the Blue made five changes in the starting XV which will be opposed Friday for the second time to Italy, its last match of preparation for the World Cup, with in particular an unprecedented hinge, according to the composition unveiled on Wednesday.
Aged 21, Lina Queyroi, established at the opening in place of Caroline Drouin (25 caps), moved to the center, will thus celebrate her first tenure, after her first selection for the Bleues on Saturday, during the first test match. against the Italians, won (21-0) in Nice without really convincing or reassuring.
She will be supported in the scrum by Pauline Bourdon (26 years old, 38 caps), who replaces Laure Sansus (28 years old, 29 caps), relegated to the bench.
The hooker Agathe Sochat (36 caps) inherits the role of captain in the absence of Gaëlle Hermet, injured on Saturday in Nice and who “returned home to treat her knee in order to recover as soon as possible in view of the World Cupaccording to a statement from the Federation.
On her right, she will be supported by Rose Bernadou (7 caps), author of an excellent comeback in Nice, in place of Clara Joyeux (31 caps), who will be a substitute in Biella (Italy).
In the third row, Émeline Gros (17 caps) and Manaé Feleu (2 caps) replace Gaëlle Hermet and Charlotte Escudero, whose first selection on Saturday was not completely convincing.
Finally, Chloé Jacquet (9 caps) is moved from the center to the back, while Emilie Boulard (12 caps), n°15 in Nice, is positioned on the wing.
The twin sister of Romane Ménager, Marine (30 caps), also among the best on the pitch last Saturday, is also in the starting XV, but in the center position and no longer on the wing.
Note that the management of Les Bleues has chosen to bench four of its most experienced players: Jessy Trémoulière (70 caps), Audrey Forlani (56 caps), Marjorie Mayans (47 caps) and Caroline Boujard ( 46 sel.).
«The Italian team showed a high level of commitment last week: we must achieve a big performance on Friday to allow us to switch to the World Cup by accumulating confidence and certainty“Said Thomas Darracq, coach-coach of the XV of France women, quoted in the press release.
The Bleues have chained the preparation courses for the World Cup (October 8-November 12) since the beginning of July, in Marcoussis first then in Andorra and finally on the Côte d’Azur.
The names of the 32 players who will fly to New Zealand on September 22 will be announced on September 12.
Composition of the women’s XV of France against Italy: Jacquet – Llorens, M. Ménager, Drouin, Boulard – (o) Queyroi, (m), Bourdon – Gros, R. Ménager, Feleu – Fall, Ferer – Bernadou, Sochat (cap.), Deshaye.
Substitutes: Touyé, Brosseau, Joyeux, Forlani, Mayans, Sansus, Trémoulière, Boujard.
