Morgane Bourgeois’ Championship 2026 diary: The first chapter

We arrived in a camp on Tuesday with a squad of 38 players in mid-March. The group is slightly different from the one in Blagnac in February, with some familiar faces alongside new players who will strengthen the collective.

The objective remains unchanged: to keep building, integrating and growing this ‘big blue project’.

The tone is always set very quickly. We jumped straight back into reviewing our game plan and incorporating new concepts. The sessions are focused and studious. Almost meticulous. Everyone is fully engaged and committed with a shared level of commitment that develops naturally.

After all, while we are preparing five other nations are training hard as well. To beat them, we have to work harder.

Back to Marcoussis

Returning to Marcoussis always feels special. Some of us know the place inside out, so it’s easy to settle in as soon as we arrive. This familiar setting helps us to hit the ground running.

There is a clear deadline in the background: at the end of the camp, 32 players will be selected to play in the Championship.

There is a slight tension in the air. Which is perceptible but never overwhelming. It remains very healthy. It fosters a positive sense of competition, where everyone tries their best without ever stepping outside of the collective framework.

Getting ready for two months together

Initially, the group is still a little shy and in the process of being formed. Conversations are measured and reference points are still fragile.

Then, gradually, life takes over. The first ping-pong matches begin, the teasing starts, and friendships form.

Little by little the group is really taking shape beyond the pitch. This is essential, as the 32 players who will go to the Championship will be living together non-stop for almost two months.

So these moments away from rugby are almost as important as the rest.

The moment the Championship becomes real

The camp flies by at high speed. In reality, it’s only three full days of intense training sessions, repeated video reviews and constant adjustments.

It’s a dense, demanding rhythm where everything follows on without really leaving time to breathe. Short, but packed.

While the group continues to work on Wednesday, François Ratier [head coach] and Manae Feleu [captain] flew to London for the captains’ photoshoot. It was a moment apart, almost symbolic.

It was as if, at that precise instant, the Championship had taken on another dimension. That trip marked a turning point. This time, we’re fully committed.

The Championship 2026 has officially begun. And everything suddenly feels a little more real in our heads.

For the second season in a row, France full-back Morgane Bourgeois takes us inside, exclusively for RugbyPass, to share the on- and off-field life of Les Bleues during the 2026 Women’s Six Nations. A weekly appointment to experience the Championship from the inside, as close as possible to the women’s XV de France.