XV de France féminin, USA News (France): Six tries for the players in black, including a new brace by winger Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a in the 12th and 50th minutes, and only one for the team managed by François Ratier, scored by hooker Maylis Mailagi in the 40th minute for her first start. The French side never appeared capable of securing a victory under the roof of Te Kaha Stadium.
Facing the power and speed of the Black Ferns, the French players remained too disorganized, squandering two try-scoring opportunities through Assia Khalfaoui being held up in the in-goal area at the 3rd minute, and through Clermont winger Anaïs Grando at the 70th minute, who was alone facing the New Zealand try line but clumsy on a pass from Lylou Pedussaud following a brilliant driving maul.
However, the French women’s rugby XV could scarcely hope for better on Saturday, fielding 11 players with fewer than five international caps on the match sheet, including a completely new center pairing of Elodie Fernandez and Charlie Gauyat, both with three caps each. Defeated four times in total by the New Zealanders across these Women’s XV Global Series—including an opening loss in Lyon in September by 41-28—the French team was deprived of numerous key players such as Bourdon-Sansus, Fall-Raclot, Manae Feleu, and Escudero even before the tour began. Further decimated by injuries affecting Berthoumieu, Vernier, and Deshayes, the squad ultimately gained the opportunity to test numerous newcomers.
The team managed to lift its performance following the 81-12 heavy defeat in Hamilton during the opening test of this tour against the world’s second-ranked side. Across the six matches of these Global Series, the French side, ranked 4th globally, secured two victories in September against Australia (29-26) in Aix-en-Provence and against the 3rd-ranked Canadians (21-5) in La Rochelle.
