Morgane Bourgeois’ Women's Six Nations notebook: Chapter 2

The competition week truly begins, and we’re right in the thick of it. Everything is precisely planned: training sessions are less intense, the focus is on quality rather than quantity – and it will keep decreasing as the weeks go on.

On Wednesday evening AXA paid us a visit to show us their new commercial ahead of its release. Many of us were part of it, so of course we teased each other a bit about our hidden acting talents. But behind the laughter, there was real hope – that this campaign would make a difference, draw more people toward women’s rugby, and shed light on what happens on the field: our challenges, our strength, our reality.

Thursday, and we’re already off. On arrival at the station, AXA banners everywhere with our faces on them. They hadn’t lied, so here we go again.

The classic tournament scenario: two hours of train delay

Then, a classic competition scenario: a two-hour train delay. It happens to us almost every Championship. We wait, we adapt… and eventually, the day goes very well. The coaches have to adjust the afternoon schedule; the weight training is cancelled but the team training goes ahead, and it’s a good session. We train at Lesdiguières Stadium, in front of a crowd. The session already gets us into the weekend spirit a bit.

The next day is captain’s run, followed by a quiet afternoon. We enjoy the sunshine, strolling through town, grabbing coffee, or shopping for some. We also bump into a few Italians, including the Blagnac players chatting on a terrace with their teammates.

With the 1982 pioneers

That evening, it’s the traditional jersey presentation, the first of the 2026 Championship. It is always a somewhat ‘sacred’ moment for the team. The 1982 veterans are there, that pioneering generation who played for the French national team when it was still just an association, without even the rooster on the jersey. We’d already met them earlier in the week during a PR event, so we feel quite at ease in their company and share some lovely moments.

 

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It’s moving. They’re lovely. The core of their message reminds us to make the most of it, to cherish every moment wearing that jersey, because it all goes by too quickly. And they’re the best placed to talk about it, I think.

Looking in the same direction

Then comes match day. The stadium is buzzing, fans waving signs with our faces all around the stands. In the changing room, before stepping onto the pitch, the atmosphere is calm and serene. As if everyone knew exactly where we were going, and how it was going to unfold. And that’s confirmed on the pitch. A fine victory to kick off the Championship.

We head straight back to Marcoussis after the match, so as not to waste any time. We arrive around 11pm, and Sunday is entirely dedicated to recovery and video reviews. We settle in front of the big TV to watch some Elite 1 matches, where our teammates are playing. And we followed that up with the Bordeaux v Toulouse clash in the Champions Cup, giving us a chance to have a bit of a laugh before starting a new week together, all heading in the same direction.