Vernier returns for France as coaches look for players to 'step up' against Italy

Centre Gabrielle Vernier returns to France’s starting line-up for their opening match of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, after sitting out Les Bleues’ sole warm-up match against England in early August.

Vernier will resume her midfield partnership with co-captain Marine Ménager in one of three changes – the only one among the backs – that coaches Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have made to the starting line-up for Saturday’s match against Italy at Sandy Park, Exeter.

She comes in for sevens star Carla Neisen who returned to 15-a-side international rugby in Mont-de-Marsan on 9th August after an absence of several years, and who has been named on the bench.

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Morgane Bourgeois retains her place at fullback, in the middle of a settled back three with wingers Kelly Arbey and Joanna Grisez.

In the absence of Pauline Bourdon Sansus, who is serving the final match of her two-game suspension for questioning refereeing standards, Alexandra Chambon starts at nine, forming a halfback partnership with Carla Arbez.

In the front row, Yllana Brosseau and Assia Khalfaoui start on either side of hooker Manon Bigot, in for Annaëlle Deshayes and Rose Bernadou, who both drop to the bench.

Agathe Gérin, meanwhile, has been named on the bench, after a midweek emergency return to France to be at her wife’s side for the premature birth of their son.

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In a heartfelt post on social media, Gérin wrote: “In such intense moments, you may wonder: how can she be 100 percent on the field? So I would ask you: who can still doubt the incredible strength of a woman who has just become a mother?

“It’s not just about playing rugby: it’s about being the most inspiring role model possible for our children. It’s about courage, the courage to pursue my ambitions and my work for so many years. The courage to show them that life is a series of challenges from which you have to draw all the positives and sometimes push forward against all odds.

“Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, I’m coming with a hunger that only mothers can understand.”

“We’re convinced we can win,” France co-captain Ménager had told French sports newspaper L’Equipe on the eve of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, her final tournament hurrah as a player.

After their six-try, 17-penalty, 40-6 humbling by England in their only pre-tournament warm-up match earlier this month, that may appear to be little more than bravado.

But, Ménager, 29, who announced her retirement as a player back in May, went on: “We’re a team that operates a little reactively. Of course we weren’t satisfied with the match against England. We never knew how to put our game together. We completely lost our way.

“But we’re a team that knows how to react … and we’ve shifted into a different dynamic since we arrived in England.”

No one in the squad is under any illusion that the warm-up defeat in Mont-de-Marsan was a wake-up call, a reminder that Les Bleues remain, as coaches Mignot and David have repeatedly reminded everyone, ‘outsiders’ for the title. Not-to-be-underestimated outsiders – no one should necessarily write-off the number four-ranked side in the world after all – but outsiders nevertheless.

“We wanted to face England to see where we were,” Mignot told journalists after the match, “and we got what we deserved … when you concede so many penalties, it’s going to be difficult to play [rugby] in opposition territory.”

Indiscipline, the ease with which England powered through France’s defence and an inability to keep the ball were serious issues in Mont-de-Marsan, but the most frustrating was at the breakdown – attacking rucks, in particular, an area the squad has worked hard with consulting coach Alexandre Ruiz throughout the summer.

The difference between French players objectively calculating their rucking, and England’s simply doing it became increasingly obvious as the scoreline difference ticked up in Mont-de-Marsan. There wasn’t much in it. There didn’t need to be. A fraction of a second was more than enough for Red Rose defenders.

“For positive attacking movement, you need quick rucks,” Mignot noted. “For that, the ball carrier has to do her job well and win her duel, but the support players also have to clear the ruck so that the scrum-half can move the balls quickly. That’s key, and that’s what England did.”

France had a week off to recharge their batteries immediately after the match. But the focus on their return to Marcoussis, and since their arrival at their Exeter Rugby World Cup base, has been on the details of that defeat and – importantly – eliminating handling errors, lapses in defensive concentration, and maintaining discipline.

“We’re still getting into the swing of things. We lack precision, especially in terms of keeping the ball to play in opposition territory,” Ortiz said as Les Bleues readied to travel to England.

“We have the assets,” Mignot insisted. “But we need to step up our game. Our team needs to play a string of matches to find its place.”

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England started that string of matches for the French in early August. Italy, then Brazil, and finally South Africa are the next phase. While their 16th loss in a row against John Mitchell’s side hurt, it highlighted brutally and precisely where Les Bleues were deficient, and luckily, it was a warm-up match.

Maybe it’s too easy to read too much into a poor one-off performance. France did not expect to be fully ready – in attack, defence, or even physically – when they faced England.

The goal, according to ex-international Safi N’Diaye, is for France’s players to be at their physical peak in time for the knockout phase. “When [France] are at their best, numerous things will improve in defence and attack,” she told Midi Olympique.

It’s something of a gamble to be underdone against difficult Six Nations rivals Italy – a side another former international, Lénaïg Corson, said will be gunning for Les Bleues. “The Italians don’t like us very much,” she said in a recent interview with RugbyPass.

“It’s a rivalry, like England and France. For them, it’s a really important game. If they can beat France and get into the competition, they’ll be so happy.”

According to Menager, France are good at reactive rugby. That reaction needs to start on Saturday in Exeter.

France squad v Italy
1 Yllana Brosseau
2 Manon Bigot
3 Assia Khalfaoui
4 Manae Feleu (co-captain)
5 Madoussou Fall Raclot
6 Charlotte Escudero
7 Léa Champon
8 Téani Feleu

9 Alexandra Chambon
10 Carla Arbez
11 Kelly Arbey
12 Gabrielle Vernier
13 Marine Ménager (co-captain)
14 Joanna Grisez
15 Morgane Bourgeois

16 Agathe Gérin
17 Annaëlle Deshaye
18 Rose Bernadou
19 Axelle Berthoumieu
20 Séraphine Okemba
21 Lina Queyroi
22 Lina Tuy
23 Carla Neisen