Vernier back for Ratier's France but Feleu will miss WXV Global Series

Gabrielle Vernier’s debut for JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby side Gloucester Hartpury looks set to be put on hold following her selection for the extended France squad for Les Bleues’ difficult WXV Global Series fixtures this September and October.

The 60-cap centre suffered a 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations-ending shoulder injury in France’s win over Wales in Cardiff – but returned to competitive action for AXA Elite 1 side Blagnac at the end of May, shortly before the end of the season, and earned an almost immediate recall from Les Bleues’ head coach, Francois Ratier.

Her return bolsters experience levels in the 38-player squad, which features just four with more than 50 internationals to their name and will be without captain, Manae Feleu, who is taking a break to continue her medical studies.

Joanna Grisez, Pauline Barrat, Kiara Zago, and Lina Tuy are all unavailable because of injury.

Vernier will be the second-most experienced player at a training camp at the FFR’s Marcoussis headquarters at the end of August, behind scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus while prop Annaëlle Deshaye and second-row Madoussou Fall Raclot make up the 50-cap contingent.

Ratier, who officially took up his post in January started building for the future straight away, with a Women’s Six Nations squad long on potential and short on experience, and has clearly seen no reason to amend that policy for his second international series in charge.

Bourdon Sansus is the only player to have reached 30 on the list, while 11 of the 38 arrive at camp with no international experience, including 18-year-old Toulouse scrum-half Lylou Pédussaud, and 19-year-old second row Marine Kazmierczak, who plays her club rugby for promoted La Rochelle and was part of France’s all-conquering women’s under-21 squad in this year’s Six Nations.

Other new faces include Toulouse’s Amalia Bazola Allieres, Lou Roboam and Lili Dezou, who has played HSBC SVNS for Les Bleues; Stade Bordelais’ Maïlys Mailagi, Elsa Peyras and Marie Ibañez; ASM Romagnat’s Mouna Touré, Elodie Fernandez and Alice Grandhomme.

Another six – Cloe Correa, Hina Ikahehegi, Mathilde Lazarko, Siobhan Soqeta, Anais Grando and Aubane Rousset – boast less than 10 caps each. Of those, only Ikahehegi featured in an international before Ratier took charge.

Teani Feleu, sister and Grenoble Amazones’ team-mate of Les Bleues’ absent captain, has again been called up, after impressing when she was called into the Women’s Six Nations squad as cover for the unfortunate Grisez – who suffered an ACL injury in the opening match against Italy – but who is expected to return in time for the 2027 tournament.

France will play New Zealand, Australia and Canada at home in September, before travelling to New Zealand for three tests against the Black Ferns in October.

France WXV Global Series training squad

Forwards
*Amalia Bazola Allieres (Stade Toulousain)
Rose Bernadou (Montpellier RC)
Axelle Berthoumieu (Stade Bordelais)
Yllana Brosseau (Stade Bordelais)
Léa Champon (FC Grenoble Amazones)
Cloé Correa (Stade Toulousain)
Annaëlle Deshaye (Stade Bordelais)
Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain)
Madoussou Fall Raclot (Stade Bordelais)
Hina Ikahehegi (Stade Bordelais)
*Marine Kazmierczak (Stade Rochelais)
Assia Khalfaoui (Stade Bordelais)
Mathilde Lazarko (ASM Romagnat)
*Maïlys Mailagi (Stade Bordelais)
Ambre Mwayembe (Stade Toulousain)
*Elsa Peyras (Stade Bordelais)
Elisa Riffonneau (FC Grenoble Amazones)
*Lou Roboam (Stade Toulousain)
Siobhan Soqeta (FC Grenoble Amazones)
*Mouna Touré (ASM Romagnat)

Backs
Kelly Arbey (Stade Toulousain)
Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais)
Émilie Boulard (AC Bobigny 93 Rugby)
Pauline Bourdon Sansus (Stade Toulousain)
Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais)
Alexandra Chambon (ASM Romagnat)
*Lili Dezou (Stade Toulousain)
Teani Feleu (FC Grenoble Amazones)
*Elodie Fernandez (ASM Romagnat)
*Alice Grandhomme (ASM Romagnat)
Anaïs Grando (ASM Romagnat)
*Marie Ibañez (Stade Bordelais)
Chloé Jacquet (LOU Rugby)
Léa Murie (Stade Toulousain)
*Lylou Pedussaud (Stade Toulousain)
Lina Queyroi (Stade Toulousain)
Aubane Rousset (Stade Bordelais)
Gabrielle Vernier (Gloucester-Hartpury)

*uncapped

France’s WXV Global Series fixtures

September 12: France v New Zealand – Matmut Stadium, Lyon
September 19: France v Australia – Stade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence
September 26: France v Canada – Stade Marcel Deflandre, La Rochelle
October 17: New Zealand v France – FMG Stadium, Hamilton
October 24: New Zealand v France – Okara Park, Whangerei
October 31: New Zealand v France – One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch