Uncapped and young: France's 2026 Six Nations training squad announced

New France coach Francois Ratier has included 16 uncapped players in the squad for his second three-day training camp to prepare for the upcoming Women’s Six Nations at the FFR’s Marcoussis’ headquarters.

The 38-strong list includes 10 players from the head coach’s former club and back-to-back-to-back French champions Bordeaux, 11 from unbeaten AXA Elite 1 leaders Toulouse, six from ASM Romagnat, four from Grenoble including captain Manae Feleu, another four from Blagnac, two from Montpellier, and one from Toulon.

“This second training camp is a continuation of the work started a month ago,” Ratier said in a statement unveiling a young squad for the camp.

Only two players — backrow Léa Gabriagues and scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus — have hit 30, while prop Oihana Tome Belmonte and backrow Sobehian Soqeta are both 19 and international sevens player Aëlig Tregouet is 18, in a squad with an average age that’s a hair over 24.

Ratier went on: “The selection of this 38-player squad takes into account lessons learned from the previous camp and the last three Elite 1 matches, as well as injuries we have to manage.

“The objective is clear: to continue our squad review to refine our choices, while also moving forward with the implementation of new aspects of our game plan.

“This camp should allow us to continue structuring the group before an important step, as it will culminate in the announcement of the 32-player squad for the Six Nations.”

The 38 players on the list boast a total 580 international caps between them, an average of 15 per player. Only Bourdon Sansus and centre Gabrielle Vernier have more than 50 internationals under their belts, as Ratier looks further ahead than merely this Six Nations.

He had previously signalled a break with the past by calling only 18 of France’s Women’s Rugby World Cup squad to his first camp in Blagnac last month.

There is, unsurprisingly, more continuity this time around. A total 27 called up in Ratier’s second list were involved at Blagnac, including ASM Romagnat’s 23-year-old fullback Anais Grando, who faces the daunting long-term proposition of filling the formidable boots of club — and country — legend Jessy Trémoulière.

But hooker Célia Domain, props Yllana Brosseau and Tome Belmonte, second row Julia Grosz, back rows Khoudedia Cissokho, Léa Gabriagues and Lou Roboam, scrum-half Alexandra Chambon, centres Louen Laramy and Aelig Tregouet, and fullback Océane Buisson will all experience Les Bleues’ nouveau regime for the first time.

The official 32-player squad for the tournament will be announced on March 27th, at the end of the three-day camp.

France kick off their tournament against Italy at Grenoble’s Stade des Alpes on April 11th. They face Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on April 18th; host Ireland at Clermont’s Stade Marcel Michelin on April 28th; then play Scotland at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium on May 9th; and entertain England in what could be a Championship decider at Stade Atlantique in Bordeaux on May 17th.

Fixture

Womens Six Nations

France Women

28 - 43

Full-time

England Women

All Stats and Data

France 2026 Women’s Six Nations training squad:
Forwards
Amalia Bazola Allieres (21 years old; uncapped; Stade Toulousain)
Rose Bernadou (25; 28 caps; Montpellier)
Axelle Berthoumieu (25; 26 caps; Stade Bordelais)
Yllana Brosseau (25; 27 caps; ASM Romagnat)
Léa Champon (22; 15 caps; FC Grenoble Amazones)
Khoudedia Cissokho (26; 2 caps; Stade Bordelais)
Cloe Correa (22; uncapped; Stade Toulousain)
Célia Domain (25; 7 caps; Blagnac)
Charlotte Escudero (25; 32 caps; Stade Toulousain)
Madoussou Fall Raclot (27; 45 caps; Stade Bordelais)
Manae Feleu (26; 30 caps; FC Grenoble Amazones)
Léa Gabriagues (30; uncapped; ASM Romagnat)
Julia Grosz (23; uncapped; Blagnac)
Assia Khalfaoui (24; 37 caps; ASM Romagnat)
Mathilde Lazarko (26; uncapped; ASM Romagnat)
Ambre Mwayembe (21; 19 caps; Stade Toulousain)
Elsa Peyras (25; uncapped; Stade Bordelais)
Elisa Riffonneau (22; 20 caps; FC Grenoble Amazones)
Lou Roboam (21; uncapped; Stade Toulousain)
Sobehian Soqeta (19; uncapped; FC Grenoble Amazones)
Oihana Tome Belmonte (19; uncapped; Stade Bordelais)
Kiara Zago (20; 6 caps; Stade Toulousain)

Backs
Carla Arbez (26; 16 caps; Stade Bordelais)
Pauline Barrat (21; uncapped; Stade Toulousain)
Emilie Boulard (26; 41 caps; Blagnac)
Pauline Bourdon Sansus (30; 71 caps; Stade Toulousain)
Morgane Bourgeois (22; 18 caps; Stade Bordelais)
Océane Buisson (26; uncapped; RC Toulon PM)
Alexandra Chambon (25; 36 caps; ASM Romagnat)
Anais Grando (23; uncapped; ASM Romagnat)
Joanna Grisez (29; 13 caps; Stade Bordelais)
Marie Ibanez (23; uncapped; Stade Bordelais)
Louen Laramy (23; uncapped; Montpellier)
Léa Murie (28; 6 caps; Stade Toulousain)
Lina Queyroi (24; 27 caps; Stade Toulousain)
Aubane Rousset (22; uncapped; Stade Bordelais)
Aëlig Tregouet (18; uncapped; Stade Toulousain)
Gabrielle Vernier (28; 58 caps; Blagnac)