Justine Pelletier column: 'I understand why we had to kick the ball out'

I should probably answer the question everyone is wondering. Yes, I thought we could beat the Red Roses. But I also understand why we had to kick the ball out.

It had been 20 minutes of defending, which, as it happens, preceded my time on the pitch at Sandy Park. Sometimes a draw is a good enough ending for what we are trying to do and where we are trying to go. It felt like a good fight. The score was going back and forth between us leading to an undefined winner. I think we showed great dominance in that game.

DaLeaka Menin was absolutely relentless. You do not often see a prop go from start to finish. It was little wonder that she got Player of the Match and then Player of the Week.

It is one of those performances we can be proud of. I learned the other day that the last time England drew a game was in 2014, against Canada at that year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup. Things don’t end level for them often. It was also the first time in 39 games that they had failed to win.

The other side of this is that we get two more shots at them. Two more opportunities to get our first win against them since 2016 at the Super Series in Utah. Roll on Toronto and Ottawa. But now, for France.

Special, but weird

Playing France this weekend will be an interesting one for me. For the past six years, I have called France home. It has been a fruitful time for all of us – as I discussed in my last RugbyPass column, I have won four consecutive titles with Stade Bordelais in AXA Élite 1. It has been so enjoyable.

Two of those league titles were led by François Ratier, who joined France as their head coach midway through last season. I have known him for a little while now. Seeing him in other colours will be a bit special, but weird.

For so long he was with the maple leaf or orchestrating the Bordeaux success, game plan or performance. It will be interesting to see him with another team. It brings something more personal to the game. I have been excited to see what he has brought to this France squad.

Already, I feel like he has been a good addition for them. I’m really intrigued to see how it is going to be, especially given his long association with Canada as the women’s national team head coach, his work in Montreal and even his time as an interim head coach of the men’s national team.

Where I think he has made a difference is in his professional way of working. It is something that is so infectious. He likes it when meeting times are respected, and when players show hard work on and off the pitch. It is serious – it offers a lot of direction.

In terms of how France play, it is tough to say exactly how he has changed things. It actually hasn’t been that long since he took over. I think you can see that when he speaks to the media at full-time. Even so, having heard from my Bordelais teammates about his time with France so far, they are moving in the right direction.

They have said how precise everything is – but also how many people they now have working around them, with all of the resources they have available to them. And he is pulling all the strings.

Playing Pauline

It would be impossible not to mention Pauline Bourdon Sansus. How could I not? She plays my position; I play against her once or twice a season when Bordelais play Stade Toulousain, and she is now France’s captain.

They love scrum-halves in France. Whenever I tell people that is my position in France, they always ask how much yelling or shouting I do. It is hard to disagree with them.

I will never forget the bronze-medal game at the 2021 Rugby World Cup [played in 2022]. She just took off from the scrum five metres out. By the time I reacted, she was already gone. From then on, I’ve told myself, ‘You cannot let her have the short side anymore.’

She is the kind of player who likes to find the gaps. At club level, that fast, quick play from a penalty can give a team a lot of momentum.
She’s unpredictable. You have to be ready for it. I learned that the hard way. There is a reason she is considered one of the best scrum-halves in the world, of course.

Just enjoy

I think it is hard to undersell this weekend’s game. I am excited for it, not least because I have never played in La Rochelle or at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre. We are coming into this game in good form. The win against Scotland was really positive for us – the perfect way to start.

Our draw with England was different. But you did see aspects of our game that are not talked about as much, like our defence and set-piece. It also allowed our other stars in the team to get some credit – like DaLeaka or Kiki Idowu.

When I think about playing France, especially knowing some of the players in their squad, I think about their aggression. They are feisty players. They are hard to play against in the contact area. They will come at you as hard as they can.

We just have to play rugby. That is something that we have proven across the past fortnight. We have also proven that we can play in different ways. Against Scotland, we got to show off our attack. Against England, it was more of a chess match – one that I think we competed in from start to finish. Bring on those two Tests at home.

Playing France, we should not be afraid of those chaotic moments – turnovers, kick battles and stuff like that. That enjoyment is important. It is a special game for me, and I want to appreciate the full experience.

The crowd may be against us, but to be on the pitch with people that I know and enjoying a good rugby game – that is also important.