France Women

The France women’s rugby team is a fierce contender on the international stage. This talented side regularly makes it to the latter stages of the Rugby World Cup and they have claimed third place on seven occasions. They are also the second-most successful Six Nations team of all time, with six wins and five Grand Slams.

Whether you want to browse the latest results or discover their upcoming clashes, you’ll find a complete overview of the France women’s rugby team on this page. Browse below for squad updates, player info, breaking news and more.

The France women’s rugby team has competed in every edition of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Of these nine tournaments, the team has achieved a whopping seven third-place finishes. 

However, they endured their worst campaign in 1998. After beating Kazakhstan (23-6) and Australia (10-8), France faced three consecutive defeats against Canada (9-7), Scotland (27-7) and Spain (22-9). This final defeat left France in eighth place.

To date, the France women’s rugby team has lost just one Rugby World Cup bronze final: the 2010 tournament. They were defeated by Australia 22-8 and finished in fourth place.

More recently, France delivered a string of stellar performances at the 2021 Rugby World Cup. After sailing through their group and quarter-final clashes, France came close to their first RWC final. Their succession was prevented by New Zealand, who beat France 25-24 in a tense semi-final.

Next, France will compete at the 2025 Rugby World Cup. They qualified by finishing in the top four at the 2021 RWC.

The history of women’s rugby in France dates back to the 1890s. However, not much is known about this sport until the 1920s, when a form of rugby – known as ‘barette’ – was contested at national championships. 

Over the next few decades, the sport fell out of favour. Then, in the 1960s, it was revived by students who organised a charity match. The game was a huge success and the Women’s Rugby Association (ARF) was established in 1969.

By the 1980s, France was home to more than 20 women’s rugby teams. Two years later, the national squad contested their first international. The team travelled to Utretch and beat the Netherlands 4-0. 

Since then, France has gained a reputation as a fierce and talented team. Their achievements include six wins at the Six Nations (2002, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2016 and 2018) and five Grand Slams (2002, 2004, 2005, 2014 and 2018).

As one of the leading women’s rugby teams in Europe, the French squad has featured some of the world’s top talent over the years. This includes Nathalie Amiel, the former French centre who debuted for the team when she was just 15. Amiel played at three Rugby World Cups (1991, 1994 and 2002) and she was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.

France is currently represented by a line-up of skillful players. Among them are Annaëlle Deshayes, Gaëlle Hermet and Romane Ménager.