Six new caps for France for women's Six Nations opener / Photo: Philippe LOPEZ - AFP/File
Six new caps for France for women's Six Nations opener
France will begin their women's Six Nations campaign against Italy with six new caps in their matchday 23 after new coach Francois Ratier announced wholesale changes to the squad on Thursday.
Captain Manae Feleu retains her place in the starting line-up, albeit with a switch from lock to back row, but she is just one of seven players to survive from France's third-place defeat by New Zealand in last year's World Cup.
"We wanted the best players at the moment," said Ratier, who coached Canada to the 2014 World Cup final, at a press conference.
"So it turns out there are six (new) ones who'll get a chance to show what they can do on Saturday.
"Obviously that brings fresh energy, but it also shows that no one's place is guaranteed.
"It forces players who were sometimes starters to question themselves, or at the very least to step up a gear."
Apart from Feleu, the French will lean on the experience of lock Madoussou Fall-Raclot, Toulouse scrum-half Pauline Bourdon-Sansus, who has been capped 71 times, and centre Gabrielle Vernier.
The three new faces in the starting line-up are Clermont-based ASM hooker Mathilde Lazarko and clubmate Anais Grando on the wing, as well as 21-year-old Toulouse fullback Pauline Barrat.
Another uncapped trio -- Cloe Correa, Aubane Rousset and nineteen-year old New Zealand-born lock Siobhan Soqeta -- start on the bench.
France begin their campaign against Italy at the Stade des Alpes in Grenoble, hoping to break England's seven-year stranglehold on the tournament and pick up a first title since 2018.
France (15-1):
Pauline Barrat; Anais Grando, Joanna Grisez, Gabrielle Vernier, Lea Murie; Carla Arbez, Pauline Bourdon-Sansus; Manae Feleu (captain), Lea Champon, Axelle Berthoumieu, Madoussou Fall-Raclot, Kiara Zago, Assia Khalfoui, Mathilde Lazarko, Ambre Mwayembe
Replacements: Elisa Riffonneau, Yllana Brosseau, Rose Bernadou, Cloe Correa, Siobhan Soqeta, Charlotte Escudero, Alexandra Chambon, Aubane Rousset
O.Sethi--MT
