Alexandra Chambon to Captain France Women for New Zealand Series Against Black Ferns

France women’s rugby team will head into their upcoming tour of New Zealand with a fresh leadership structure on the pitch, as head coach François Ratier named scrum-half Alexandra Chambon as team captain for the three-match series against the Black Ferns in October.

French Rugby Federation Announces Squad Leadership Changes

The French Rugby Federation announced that Chambon will lead Les Bleues through the three-match assignment across New Zealand. The 26-year-old Clermont scrum-half, who holds 43 international caps, steps into the primary leadership role following roster changes ahead of the matches. Manae Feleu was excused from the six fixtures across the WXV Global Series to focus on her medical studies, according to federation announcements. Meanwhile, Pauline Bourdon Sansus remained in France for family reasons, opening the door for Chambon to take charge.

Tests Against the Hosts

The touring French squad arrived in New Zealand ahead of three tests against the hosts. Les Bleues open their itinerary on October 17 at the FMG Stadium in Hamilton, travel to Whangārei for the second fixture on October 24, and conclude the tour on October 31 at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. The team enters this sequence following a mixed run of September fixtures at home, where they dropped an opening match 14–28 to New Zealand before rebounding with a 29–26 win over Australia and a 21–5 victory against World Cup runners-up Canada.

Stepping Up After Serving as Deputy

Chambon spent much of her international career playing as the understudy to Bourdon Sansus. However, she gained valuable experience wearing the armband during the September matches when substituting for the veteran scrum-half. Reflecting on her appointment, Chambon expressed immense pride in taking on the responsibility while emphasizing her commitment to helping squad members settle into international rugby. She noted that her primary goal is supporting everyone on the roster, particularly given the presence of several new faces entering the national setup.

Experienced Voices Form the Leadership Core

While taking on the captaincy, Chambon will lean heavily on a tight-knit group of experienced teammates to share the workload. She highlighted that she will be well-supported by regular rooming partner Léa Champon, along with Gabrielle Vernier and Annaëlle Deshaye. Having shared numerous matches and competitions with these core players, Chambon intends to maintain her natural style of play as a game leader rather than fundamentally altering her personality on the field. Bourdon Sansus expressed full confidence in Chambon’s capability, noting that the young scrum-half possesses a natural work ethic and leadership style that resonates across all generations within the squad.