Let’s go for the Women’s Six Nations Tournament. A week after the end of the boys’ competition, the girls of the French XV will begin their competition this Saturday, at 3:15 p.m., against Ireland, at the Marie-Marvingt stadium in Le Mans (Sarthe). The meeting will be broadcast live on France 2.
The FFR unveiled this Thursday the composition of the French team which will challenge the Irish, with many executives present during the last two seasons, and a new addition on the wing, Kelly Arbey.
Trained in Tarn, the Stade Toulouse player (18 years old) will honor her first selection as a starter on Saturday, alongside Les Bleues executives, such as third row Gaëlle Hermet, center Gabrielle Vernier or hooker Agathe Sochat. Aligned on the wing like the experienced Marine Ménager, Arbey, who achieved the Grand Slam in 2022 and 2023 in the Tournament with the French under-18 team, is a great hope for French rugby.
In addition to the presence of this “blue” among the Blues, the co-selectors of the XV of France Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have established the center Nassira Kondé (24 years old, Stade Bordeaux, 7 selections), who participated last fall at the “WXV” in New Zealand, after being part of the French Sevens team which won silver at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Manae Feleu captain for the first time in the Tournament
The rest of the starting team which will take to the pitch at the Marie-Marvingt stadium in Le Mans on Saturday is classic, including a formidable and powerful forward pack, including a 100% Bordeaux front line.
The “cage” is occupied by Madoussou Fall, who was greatly missed by Les Bleues last year, and by captain Manae Feleu, who wore the armband during last autumn’s tour of New Zealand, and who will enter the Tournament for the first time.
In the third row are Hermet, Romane Ménager and Charlotte Escudero. The hinge is made up of fly-half Lina Queyroi, in the absence of Caroline Drouin, injured, and scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus. Emilie Boulard will wear number 15.
The French women’s XV against Ireland
Boulard – Arbey, Kondé, Vernier, M. Ménager – (o) Queyroi, (m) Bourdon Sansus – Hermet, R. Ménager, Escudero – Fall, Feleu (cap.) – Khalfaoui, Sochat, Deshaye.
Substitutes: Riffonneau, Mwayembe, Joyeux, Zago, Gros, Chambon, Tuy, Bourgeois.
