1
Pays de Galles vs. France : dernière répétition avant le Crunch
Cette rencontre dimanche 21 avril à 15h15, heure locale, sera arbitrée par une pointure, l’Ecossaise Hollie Davidson, considérée par beaucoup comme la plus expérimentée encore en activité (32 tests) maintenant que Joy Neville a annoncé sa retraite.
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Sur le papier, il n’y a pas photo : la France part ultra favorite avec 25 victoires contre trois défaites seulement face au Pays de Galles, toutes obtenues à domicile.
La dernière en date, un 10-8 au Gnoll remonte à 2016, soit 16 matchs sans défaite depuis (dont sept au Pays de Galles). Avant cela, les Galloises avaient pu difficilement s’imposer 3-0 en 2008 puis 11-10 en 2006. Autant dire que battre les Françaises a toujours relevé de l’exploit, d’autant plus que sur les 28 rencontres officielles à ce jour, 12 fois les Bleues ont empêché leurs adversaires d’inscrire le moindre point.
En moyenne, la France a marqué 33 points par rencontre durant cette séquence au Pays de Galles, passant même la barre des 50 points par deux fois en 2019 et 2021. Doit-on s’attendre à une balade de santé ?
Le Pays de Galles poursuit sa série noire
Entre la deuxième au classement du tournoi des Six nations (la France) et la dernière (le Pays de Galles), le fossé est large. Même au classement mondial féminin World Rugby où la France est classée 3e et le Pays de Galles 8e avec 14,59 points d’écart.
Womens Six Nations
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
England Women's
3
3
0
0
15
2
France Women's
3
3
0
0
14
3
Ireland Women's
3
1
2
0
6
4
Italy Women's
3
1
2
0
5
5
Scotland Women's
3
1
2
0
4
6
Wales Women's
3
0
3
0
1
Les Galloises ont rarement vécu une telle série noire. La dernière fois qu’elles ont terminé avec la cuillère de bois, c’était en 2018. Jamais elles n’ont perdu leurs cinq rencontres du Tournoi, même si en 2005 elles avaient encaissé quatre défaites et un nul.
2023 a été une année sans pour elles après un Tournoi où elles ont été l’équipe la plus pénalisée (trois cartons), ont été les plus lentes à sortir la balle des rucks et ont terminé dernières du WXV1. Malheureusement pour elles, 2024 semble suivre le même chemin.
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A l’inverse, la France semble avoir mis la déception du WXV1 de côté (5e) en enchaînant trois victoires depuis le début du Tournoi 2024, préparant un Crunch aux allures de finale contre l’Angleterre qu’elle talonne au classement, à un point derrière.
Très forte en mêlée (15 introductions réussies sur 15), joueuse (50 offloads et 73 coups de pied de relance), la France est également l’une des plus disciplinée de ce Tournoi 2024 (avec l’Irlande et le Pays de Galles), n’ayant pour l’instant reçu aucun carton.
Face à face
4 dernières réunions
Victoires
0
Nuls
0
Victoires
4
Moyenne de points marqués
5
41
Le premier essai gagne
75%
L'équipe recevante gagne
50%
Des changements des deux côtés
Pour espérer conjurer le sort, le sélectionneur Ioan Cunningham a procédé à cinq changements pour recevoir les Françaises et tenter de créer l’exploit. Catherine Richards fera ses débuts sur l’aile droite ; c’est la quatrième jeune joueuse que Cunningham lance sur ce Tournoi, avec la possible entrée de Mollie Wilkinson en cours de match.
Sur l’aile gauche, le sélectionneur a titularisé Courtney Keight pour la première fois après avoir marqué les esprits en tant que remplaçante. La première-lige reste inchangée au contraire de la charnière Sian Jones – Lleucu George.
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En face, la France a effectué quatre changements de joueuses et deux changements de position. L’idée des co-sélectionneurs Gaëlle Mignot et David Ortiz est d’avoir fait de la place pour accueillir les septistes de retour de Hongkong Anne-Cécile Ciofani (dont ce sera la première sélection), Joanna Grisez (sur l’autre aile) et Chloé Jacquet en tant que trois-quarts centre.
Alors que Joanna Grisez fera ses débuts dans le Tournoi des Six Nations de cette année à Cardiff, Chloé Jacquet a été l’une des marqueuses lors du dernier déplacement des Françaises au Pays de Galles en 2022.
Avec cette équipe, la France compte bien bonifier son taux de 72% de victoires depuis que Mignot-Ortiz en ont la charge (11 matchs), tandis que le Pays de Galles n’en est qu’à 30% en 23 matchs avec Cunningham aux commandes.
Comments on RugbyPass
Dear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
218 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
218 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
8 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
44 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
15 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
44 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
3 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
218 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
218 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
44 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
44 Go to comments