“Italy is a team that regularly annoys the France team. What kind of opposition do you expect on Sunday at Jean-Bouin?
What defines Latin teams in general is that they like to produce a lot of play and are a little unpredictable. They do things you don’t really expect. Whereas the British teams, it’s a little more structured. With two Latin teams facing each other, we hope that there will be a lot of play and that it will result in a very good match.
Personally, you are having a great start to the Tournament. Do you feel that opposing teams are adapting defensively by putting more pressure on you?
Quite frankly, this is something I don’t care much about. I find myself in my rugby a lot this season and it really does me a lot of good. If I tighten my defenses a little more, I want to say that it’s a bit my job (smile). So much the better if I’m expected and if they focus a little more on me, that will leave room elsewhere. There, I am fully fulfilled in my rugby. I hope it will continue on the second block.
“I’m in a year where I’m trying not to ask myself too many questions, to have as much fun as possible. I feel well surrounded”
How do you explain this prosperous period?
In the life of a high-level athlete, there are always more or less positive phases. Here, I’m in a year where I’m trying not to ask myself too many questions, to have as much fun as possible. I feel well surrounded, it’s a group we’ve been living with for a few years now. I really feel confident in this group, we all feel that.
Collectively, you are offering a very ambitious game, with many offloads, but there was a lot of waste in the first two matches…
We’re really focusing on that this week. We gained a lot of confidence by playing a lot. Now we must try to make it happen. We won’t be able to have a full Tournament if we only play. We’re really going to focus on that over the next few weeks, hoping that the work we started doing pays off this weekend.
From Thursday, three players from the French 7s team (Anne-Cécile Ciofani, Joanna Grisez and Chloé Jacquet) will join you. What can they bring you?
They are hard workers, they will arrive and learn the game plan correctly, there will be no problem integrating everything very quickly. Obviously, they will bring us a lot on a physical level. They have great athletic qualities. And about group life, we have no doubt: it will go very well with them (smile).
“No, I’m sorry Marine! She’s not going any faster than me.”
Romane Ménager, about her sister Marine
You play in the French team with your twin, Marine. You have both become leaders of the group and indisputable starters. Do you measure the progress we have made together?
It’s definitely an honor. When we’re on the pitch, we don’t really realize, she’s a teammate like any other. When we take a step back, we know that it’s a chance to be able to share this together. We try to make the most of it as much as possible.
Marine plays three-quarter and you are a forward: so your sister runs faster than you?
Well no! I’m sorry Marine (laughing). She’s not going any faster than me. She has technical qualities that I don’t have and I have physical qualities that she has less. We play different positions. But center and third line are not that far apart. It was our playing styles that meant that I found myself in front and Marine further behind. And so much the better because at least there is no competition or frustration with others. We know that we are each in our own environment, we each bring our own side to the team. »
