To prepare for the World Cup (October 8-November 12), Les Bleues have planned a meeting against Australia this Saturday.
The women’s XV of France, which arrived last weekend in New Zealand, where it will compete in the World Cup (October 8-November 12), has planned a “opposition“Saturday against Australia”to find the taste of the fight“said coach Thomas Darracq on Tuesday.
With a view to their first match against South Africa, on October 8 (3:15 a.m. Paris time), Les Bleues, paid into pool C, will play Saturday “three blocks of fifteen minutes, in real opposition, on a match schedule“Explained their coach-trainer during a video conference from Auckland.
The Australians, seventh in the world rankings, will also compete in the World Cup, but in Pool A, alongside New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. The idea is to “give all the girls playtime” in order to “to confront an adversary, to get out of the daily life of the opposition between us and to have another dimension“, with the presence of one of the referees designated for the World Cup, he said.
«We had a few days of acclimatization, to try to take this eleven hour jet lag, find a rhythm of sleep and make sure that each girl can absorb it“, said Thomas Darracq again. “Now, we have resumed a progressive rhythm, with sessions every day, even twice a day like today, of bodybuilding, and this until the weekend and the opposition against Australia“, he added.
At his side, the third line and captain of the Blue Gaëlle Hermet, injured in a knee during the first preparation match against Italy on September 3 in Nice (21-0 victory), gave reassuring news. “I got back to the field gradually, not yet fully training with my teammates but it’s a good omen“, she underlined, specifying that the rest of the group had on their side “reattacked full pot».
The captain of the Bluesgot ahead of the best scenario, we will see his progress every day but our desire is for Gaëlle to regain all her abilities to last because the competition is going to be long“added Thomas Darracq.
«We may not take the risk for the first game, we are really waiting day after day, it’s still a little early to make an announcement“, he concluded.
