France, USA News (Christchurch, New Zealand): For the final match of the WXV 2026 tournament on Saturday in Christchurch, the French women’s rugby team was defeated by the Black Ferns with a score of 36-7. Despite displaying considerable resistance, the French side lost all three of their test matches during their tour of New Zealand.
With a significant number of senior players absent, injuries accumulating over the weeks, and numerous young internationals thrust into top-level competition, the French players resisted the Black Ferns but ultimately lacked the means to secure a victory. Playing at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, captain Alexandra Chambon and her teammates conceded their third defeat in as many weekends, allowing six tries in total.
Match Summary and Scoring Details
The match was officiated by referee Ella Goldsmith from Australia before a crowd of 13,582 spectators. New Zealand secured six tries through Sylvia Tuliau-Tua’a in the 12th and 50th minutes, Kaipo Sorensen-McGee in the 18th minute, Risi Robinson in the 57th minute, Patricia Paul in the 67th minute, and Atlanta Green in the 77th minute. Sorensen-McGee kicked three conversions in the 18th and 57th minutes, while H. King added a conversion in the 77th minute.
For France, Maïlys Mailagi scored a try in the 40th minute, marking the first international career try for the Bordeaux player, which was successfully converted by Lina Arbez. New Zealand player Sylvia Tuliau-Tua’a received a temporary yellow card expulsion in the 64th minute.
| Team | First Half Score | Final Score | Tries Conceded |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 12 | 36 | 6 |
| France | 7 | 7 | 1 |
Physical Demands and Tour Takeaways
Following a strong performance the previous week in Whangarei where the score finished 31-12, the French team once again posed tactical questions to the Black Ferns using an organized and aggressive defense. However, the New Zealand side capitalized on tactical kicking and physical dominance. Tries from Tuliau-Tua’a and Sorensen-McGee established an early lead before Mailagi responded just before halftime with a well-executed pick-and-go.
In the second half, the physical superiority of the New Zealand team became more pronounced as French resistance waned amid player substitutions. The Black Ferns added four additional tries after the break. Meanwhile, French opportunities were limited by handling errors near the try line and penalties in the mauls, highlighting the ongoing gap between the young French squad and the world’s top-ranked team.
Head coach François Ratier and his staff gather numerous insights from the four weeks spent facing top-tier global competition in New Zealand. The physical toll of the tour included injuries to back-rower Elsa Peyras with a shoulder issue and center Elodie Fernandez with a head knock, bringing the total number of injuries recorded by the French squad over the three matches to ten.
