After a summer of training, after the high-intensity camps at the FFR’s Marcoussis headquarters and at altitude in Tignes; after multiple sessions on key areas with Top 14 and ProD2 specialists, England.
Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 looms for France, as it does for the 15 other nations taking part. But first, for France, England.
Les Bleues’ only warm-up match for the tournament, on Saturday 9th August, in Mont-de-Marsan, south-west France, is against the repeated Six Nations Grand Slam winners, World Rugby’s number one ranked team, a side unbeaten in 26 games since that epic Rugby World Cup loss to New Zealand at Eden Park in November 2022.
‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025
‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025
It’s no exaggeration to suggest this is the toughest challenge France could have set themselves before they head across the Channel for the tournament proper.
Former France second row Lénaïg Corson admitted she was taken aback at the choice of warm-up opponent: “I don’t think it’s a great gift to play England,” she said. “We’re used to playing [warm-up games] against teams that aren’t number one in the world.
“It’s surprising to play a top-three nation right from the start. On the other hand, it’s an opportunity to try things out.”
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And France have plenty to try out as heatwave daytime temperatures start to dip in deepest Landes. They’ve worked with Alexandre Ruiz on offensive breakdown play, with Jeremy Valls on tactical attacking kicking, with Laurent Thuery on defensive exits.
Saturday is the only time these modifications will get a public airing before their tournament opener against Italy on Saturday 23rd August.
Corson, one of a dozen or so former internationals at Marcoussis the afternoon and evening before the 32-strong squad was announced, is impressed with what she has seen.
“I thought the atmosphere was very good,” said the 36-year-old. “You could tell that the girls were happy to be there. Preparing for a World Cup at an intense and, at the same time, collective moment. I thought it boded well for the future.”
Corson, along with a group of France legends – including Marjorie Mayans, Coumba Diallo, Marie-Alice Yahé, Estelle Sartini, Jessy Trémoulière, Christelle Le Duff and Danièle Irazu – watched a long training session with Ruiz.
“There was a lot of intensity. You can tell the team has trained hard. [Coach] Gaël Mignot told us it might have been because we were there and that they wanted to do well in front of the former players!”
The change in choice of warm-up opponents is not the only one in the France set-up since Mignot and co-coach David Ortiz took charge of the squad in 2023, following the departure of Thomas Darracq after Les Bleues’ third-place finish in New Zealand – a remarkable result at the end of a tournament that could most politely be described as ‘troubled’ for the French. Even more remarkably, they were a missed late kick away from the final.
“It’s been hard for the French team to rebuild after that World Cup,” Corson said. “It was complicated – very, very complicated – with the staff. It’s been very hard to regain confidence; it really left deep scars on the team.
“For those who played in 2022, they experienced a World Cup as something horrible, painful, even though France almost won the semi-final against New Zealand.
“A lot of older players left. We’re still rebuilding, but there’s a lot of experience there – Pauline Bourdon Sansus, Marine Ménager, Agathe Guérin – a few players who have been there for a few years.
“Compared to England, where Emily Scarratt is going to play in her fifth World Cup, and Marlie Packer, who’s playing in her fourth, we don’t have that. I think the only [French] player is Annaëlle Deshaye, who’s going to play in her third World Cup – she was there in 2017 and 2022. There’ll be Carla Neisen, too, who played in 2017.
“But we don’t have many experienced players. That’s a shame in a way, but that’s how it is – a result of 2022, and we have to deal with it.
“Obviously, it’s better to have a mix of experience and young players. Right now, we have a lot less experience, but we have a lot of youth, energy and enthusiasm. And that will be our biggest asset.”
France are fourth in the world, behind England, reigning champions New Zealand, and Canada. They are one of the pre-tournament favourites, and Corson believes they have it in them to go deep into the competition.
She acknowledged there are bigger, stronger and more organised teams, but insisted that France’s strength lies in disorganisation. “France are unpredictable – we don’t really know how we’re going to play because I think we have that ‘French flair’, that unstructured style of play, and we’re comfortable with that.
“It’s easy for France to play when the game’s unstructured, it’s chaos. And out of that big mess, we can play. I think that’s one of our strengths because we’re not necessarily the most structured team with a fluid attacking game. It’s not as set, calculated or pragmatic like England – players have to adapt individually.”
After Les Bleues open their account against Six Nations rivals Italy in Exeter, they then face Brazil and South Africa in their quest for a quarter-final place. Corson warned against pool-phase complacency.
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“The Italians don’t like us very much,” she said. “It’s a rivalry, like England and France. For them, it’s a really important game. If they can beat France and get into the competition, they’ll be so happy.
“In the Six Nations, [the Italy game] was very complicated, and I was afraid France would lose. We had trouble getting our game going, we let them believe they could come back too many times, too often, for too long. They could make things very difficult.”
France’s second opponents Brazil, Corson said, were an unknown quantity at the 15-player game, but she warned that France should not take final pool phase opponents Springbok Women for granted. “I was surprised and impressed by the intensity that South Africa brought to their [World Cup warm-up] game [against New Zealand XV].
“That’s going to be a big, physical challenge. They’re tougher than the English in contact. They’re very muscular, really aggressive. The French women are built differently, smaller and faster. I think we could lose energy in a big, physical match.
“But France could spring a surprise. They are on a team that looks very strong and is creating some great moments. The atmosphere with the team and the staff has also improved a lot in recent months.
“We needed to regain confidence in the group and in the staff, and I think all the preparation has helped. A lot of time off the field has also been put to good use. They spent a night under the stars in tents in the mountains in Tignes.
“There were times when they played games together to create memories outside of competition, off the field. Those moments are crucial to going all the way.”
France’s coaches have carefully and repeatedly pitched Les Bleues as ‘outsiders’ to lift the new Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy at the end of September. Corson may agree they have a strong chance of being involved at the business end of the tournament, but insists there’s plenty of rugby to play between now and then.
“The level is getting higher and higher, and you can feel that England and New Zealand, and maybe even Canada really stand out. England, I’m impressed by their consistency and by the level of experience in the team.
New Zealand, I’m impressed by their speed and power. I think they’re really impressive in that regard and also in terms of individual skills. I think those two nations really stand out.
And I was very impressed by Canada during the World Cup and WXV, and I think they could really surprise us this summer. I said a few months ago, ‘Canada will definitely finish on the podium, and I even think they could make it to the final’. I think they can do something.”
See which France, England, New Zealand, and Canada players made it into RugbyPass’ Top 50 list. View list here.