AXA Élite 1: 2026/27 season preview

All eyes in women’s rugby may be on the closing stages of what has been an enthralling WXV Global Series, but in France what promises to be an equally intriguing race gets under way as the domestic AXA Élite 1 kicks off on Sunday 25 October.

The top two in the table at the end of last season, ASM Romagnat and Toulouse, meet at Stade Ernest Wallon on the opening weekend, while back-to-back-to-back-to-back champions Stade Bordelais host Grenoble.

But it’s promoted Stade Rochelais who get to showcase their first-time top-tier credentials in the opening weekend’s televised match, as they host Lyon in the opening act of an AXA Élite 1/Top 14 double header at the Stade Marcel Deflandre.

Here is a rundown of the 10 teams vying for the title this season…

AC Bobigny 93

Last season: Everything about Bobigny’s campaign last season was mid-table – the sixth-ranked side, the seventh-best attack, the seventh-best defence, seventh in the try-scoring league. They finished up right where the numbers said they should. It just wasn’t exactly where they wanted to be.

In/out: A limited number of changes to a fairly settled squad were announced in the summer, with full-back Emilie Boulard joining from Blagnac and scrum-half Alyzée Elizondo signing from Rennes among a quartet of new arrivals.

Good to know: Les Bleues’ legends Sandrine Agricole, Madoussou Fall Raclot, Coumba Diallo, Anne-Cécile Ciofani, Nassira Konde, Joanna Grisez and more have all come through AC Bobigny’s ranks since the women’s side was set up in 2003.

Key Player: Amandine Buchard. The four-time Olympic judo medallist joined from Stade Français, for whom she played as a winger in Élite 2, as she aims to make France’s women’s sevens squad for Los Angeles.

Prediction: Boulard and Buchard have been brought in to offer additional attacking threat, so expect those numbers to improve. They probably still have too much to do to trouble the top four places and the play-off places that come with them. More mid-table hovering looms and perhaps worse if they get off to a poor start.

ASM Romagnat

Last season: Romagnat were top of the table at the end of the regular season, with 16 wins, one draw and one defeat from 18 matches. They cruised past Blagnac in their semi-final to head into the showpiece against defending champions Stade Bordelais as firm favourites. However, they came unstuck in Biarritz, missing out on the title they last won in 2021, as Bordeaux bagged their fourth title in a row.

In/out: Several player changes and arguably more importantly a change in the staff, with the arrival of Romain Cabanero as full-time coach working under manager Fabrice Ribeyrolles. He was headhunted after guiding Brive to the second-tier Élite 2, and replaced Vincent Fargeas who moved on to the FFR.

Good to know: Last season’s top-of-the-table finish was remarkably the first in ASM’s history.

Key Player: Mathilde Lazarko. The league’s leading try-scorer, with 14 tries, a first international cap and named player of the season at French rugby’s glittering Nuit de Rugby awards, ASM’s hooker and captain is the only choice for key player.

Prediction: A top four finish is a near-certainty for the yellow machine, who barely put a foot wrong all last season, until the final. They’ll want to go one better, but the post-season knockouts could be even trickier this time around.

Blagnac Sporting Club Rugby

Last season: Fourth in the table and convincingly dumped out of the play-offs, Blagnac – considered one of Élite 1’s big four – finished well adrift of ASM Romagnat, Toulouse and Bordeaux in the standings, but by the same token were 14 points clear of fifth-placed Montpellier

In/out: International centre Gabrielle Vernier’s departure for JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby side Gloucester Hartpury was the big transfer news out of French rugby last summer – hiding a big change in playing personnel at the club, which has more than 20 new arrivals to fold into the squad for the start of the campaign.

Good to know: In September 2026, Blagnac hosted the inaugural women’s European Masters tournament at Stade Ernest-Argelès, a triangular proto-European tournament featuring travelling sides from North Bristol and Blackrock College.

Key Player: Julia Grosz. Having made her international debut this year, big things are expected of the talented second row.

Prediction: A lot of changes at Blagnac in the summer could mean that the least powerful of the Élite 1’s big four finds it much harder to hold on to its position than the other trio. A tough campaign may be in store.

FC Grenoble Amazones

Last season: Three wins in five to finish last season on a strong note – including a convincing victory over semi-finalists Blagnac – hint that the strife that has bedevilled the Amazones in recent seasons might be receding in the rearview mirror.

In/out: Netherlands’ hooker Alexis Muggleton switched from relegated Lille to the Amazones as one of 10 arrivals in the summer, whilst 19-year-old Lucie Condamines is set to take the step up from sevens having impressed at the World University Games and as part of the inaugural Ultimate Sevens competition.

Good to know: Former Brive back row Poutasi Luafutu has joined the Amazones as forwards and defence coach.

Key Player: Léa Champon. The 23-year-old backrow, away with the French national side for the start of the Elite 1 season, was named French International Player of the Year at the Nuit de Rugby awards ceremony in Paris in September.

Prediction: Fifth was out of Grenoble’s ambitious reach last season in what staff have insisted was a ‘transition’ year. It shouldn’t be this time around. Fourth, however, may be a league table step too far.

Lyon

Last season: Safely eighth was probably not in the planning for a Lyon side with higher publicly stated ambitions. Four wins out of 18 definitely wasn’t. A disappointment, but something for their young squad – average age last season 23 – to build on is about as good as it gets.

In/out: Stéphane Véré’s first job on his arrival in the summer as head of the women’s section at Lyon was to build a staff and a new-look squad. François Patin takes charge of the forwards and Jean-Charles Simian coaches the backs, while around a dozen players – including ex-Romagnat player Marion Husson – have been recruited.

Good to know: A sign of Lyon’s sevens strength – not only did they provide five French players for the HSBC SVNS World Series stopover in Valladolid earlier this year, but they won the second round of the domestic SuperSevens tournament in Pau to qualify for the final at Plenitude Arena in February.

Key Player: Chloe Jacquet. The pacy and powerful centre, back on the pitch after recovering from an ACL injury, has her sights on the sevens competition at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Prediction: Under the well-regarded Véré, who returned to Lyon after seven years at Valence-Romans, the club might finally be able to turn promise into results. However, an overly ambitious goal of an ‘Élite 1 title by 2028’ – 20 years after the women’s section was founded – may be quietly shelved and replaced with something more sustainable and realistic. That said, better than eighth and challenging for the top four are phrases that should feature in internal documents.

Montpellier

Last season: Fifth place was about as much as Montpellier could hope for from a campaign after a promising start – three wins in their three opening matches – fell apart as five defeats on the bounce followed. Their struggles continued through the second half of the campaign and by manager Stéphane Ferrière’s own admission in March, Montpellier were unable to ‘find out strengths’.

In/out: The Menager era at Montpellier ended in July, when Romane ‘faced facts’ and listened to what her body was telling her and retired as a player at the age of 29. Marine had called time on her career after Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 a few months earlier. Despite those key departures, it’s been relatively quiet on the recruitment front for Montpellier, with 12 new arrivals at the club, including Trailfinders Women’s Emma Taylor and Leicester Tigers’ Kristin Bitter.

Good to know: Montpellier have upped their playing budget for this Élite 1 campaign by an impressive-sounding 47 percent or €800,000 out of the club’s total operating budget of €2.4 million. How much of a difference it may make is to be determined on the pitches.

Key Player: Marie Morland. Another summer arrival, the 21-year-old backrow, who was a surprise call-up to France’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 squad, and has gone to New Zealand with François Ratier’s touring WXV Global Series squad.

Prediction: Fifth or sixth is most likely for the second-most successful side in the competition, after Toulouse – but expect Montpellier to get much closer to fourth than they managed last season. They should, along with Grenoble, be considered one of the sides most likely to sneak past an in-transition Blagnac.

Rugby Club Toulon Provence Mediterranee

Last season: Promoted from Élite 2 last season, Toulon had one aim in mind – stay up. Four wins, including a crucial one over relegated Lille on the penultimate weekend of the regular season, were enough to achieve that. Now, they will look for better.

In/out: Toulon have brought in around a dozen new faces to consolidate and build on last season’s survival story. Some big names are heading to the port town, including USA international Malia Isaacs, Brazil’s front row Taís Prioste, Wallaroo Grace Hamilton, and Jakkie Cilliers, who replaces the departing Chloe Rollie.

Good to know: Former Toulon second row Jocelino Suta joined the club in the summer as forwards coach and will work alongside Mickaël Ivaldi, who is in charge of the set pieces. Christine Gassiole will be responsible for the defence, while Sandrine Agricole will handle the backs.

Key Player: Jakkie Cilliers. Another one of Toulon’s key new season signings will be expected to bring her international form to the Mediterranean outfit, after manager Stéphane Beyt-Gamonet signed her on the strength of her performance in South Africa’s July Test match against the USA.

Prediction: Despite strengthening their squad, Toulon should expect another difficult domestic Élite 1 campaign as they look to consolidate their place in the top flight. A lot of clubs have high ambitions. Many are going to be disappointed. A good start will be vital.

Stade Bordelais

Last season: Losing successful coach François Ratier to the France set-up inevitably led to some internal turbulence last season. He left in early December but following a slow start, Bordeaux hit their stride. They finished third, came from behind to beat Toulouse in the semi-final, then overpowered Romagnat to claim a fourth title in a row.

In/out: Bordeaux have strengthened their pack in the off-season, signing international props Assia Khalfaoui and Yllana Brosseau from ASM and Canadian Taylor McKnight – replacing the now-retired Agathe Gérin in the middle of the front row. Expect them to be even more ferocious up front.

Good to know: Yannick Vignette arrived in the summer as manager of Stade Bordelais. Fabrice Nivard, who successfully stepped up following Ratier’s departure, stays on as his assistant, while Mahamadou Diaby is the new defence coach following his retirement as a player.

Key Player: Marie Ibanez. The daughter of former France hooker Raphael Ibanez is carving out an impressive sporting career of her own. She won her first international cap in WXV Global Series 2026 at 23 – the same age as her father was when he made his Test debut – despite starting rugby relatively late.

Prediction: Title contenders. Again.

Stade Rochelais

Last season: Promoted as ProD2 champions, Stade Rochelais came up to the top flight following a hard-fought 13-10 win over Valkyries Normandie in the final.

In/out: New campaign, new-look squad. The Rochelais have recruited 13 new players in the off season to develop a mix of international and Élite 1 experience to which they plan to add a dose of young talent from their own ranks. We’ll see if it works.

Good to know: This will be Stade Rochelais’ first season in the top tier of French domestic rugby and they kick off the campaign against Lyon at Stade Marcel Deflandre in front of TV cameras on October 25.

Key Player: Beth Blacklock. One of the new arrivals at Stade Rochelais, the six-cap Scotland international joins the Élite 1’s newest club after three successful seasons with Harlequins and DMP Durham Sharks.

Prediction: Manager Alexandre Barès hasn’t tried to hide the scale of the step up from Elite 2 to Elite 1 from his still mostly amateur squad.

“Staying up will be our primary objective,” he told Franceinfo Nouvelle Aquitaine recently.

“We won’t be able to compete with the Lionnes of Stade Bordelais right away.”

Toulon proved last season that they have a shot and, although they have recruited extensively, at a certain risk to squad cohesion, they look to have targeted their player acquisitions smartly.

Stade Toulousain

Last season: Second in the league, missing out on top spot to ASM Romagnat by a single bonus point after a season of 16 victories, one draw against ASM and one loss to Stade Bordelais. Toulouse then fell victim to a dramatic second-half fightback by the defending champions in the play-off semi-finals.

In/out: Versatile French international Elodie Fernandez, who joined from ASM in the summer and who started a Test for the first time against New Zealand in October, is one of 10 new arrivals at the club for their latest bid for the title.

Good to know: The average age of Toulouse’s Élite 1 squad this season is 22.

Key Player: Amalia Argudo. The Spanish international will have a key role to play early in the season, after French full-back Pauline Barrat suffered her third serious knee injury towards the end of last season that will keep her sidelined until 2027.

Prediction: As with ASM and Bordeaux, it’s just about impossible to see Toulouse failing to make the post-season play-offs. Top spot in the regular season will be their goal to give themselves the best chance of reaching the final.