women’s rugby
women-internationals
To assist in gearing up for the WXV Global Series, head coach François Ratier will run a four-day training camp centered around the tight five forwards.
Les Bleues have a busy autumn ahead, with four matches lined up against New Zealand’s Black Ferns in September and October, alongside home tests against Canada and Australia.
A total of 24 players have been named to the squad, featuring a mix of highly experienced test veterans and promising young players whom Ratier and his colleagues believe have the potential to succeed at the international level.
One notable call-up is Stade Rochelais prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi, a second cousin of the All Blacks front-rower of the same name, who recently helped guide her club back to the top tier of French domestic rugby.
Hosted in Capbreton, the four-day camp will focus heavily on refining set-piece play, preparing the team’s scrums, lineouts, and mauls for the rigorous tests of the international season ahead.
Set to begin on Thursday, August 20, the assembly for the tight forwards will run concurrently with the In Extenso Supersevens tournament, which features several senior French stars going head-to-head.
Among those participating in the sevens event are future Gloucester-Hartpury player Gabrielle Vernier, Grenoble’s Teani Feleu, and Olympic silver medalist Chloé Jacquet.
“This gathering marks the beginning of an incredibly demanding international window, which includes eleven scheduled fixtures: six in the WXV Global Series and five in the Six Nations,” Ratier remarked.
“While our front-five unit concentrates on specialized set-piece drills in Capbreton, we will also keep tabs on our squad members competing in the In Extenso Supersevens in Biarritz over the weekend.
“Additionally, this camp will serve as an excellent platform for building team chemistry and passing down knowledge from our veteran players to the younger generation entering the setup.”
Forwards coach Florent Wieczorek remarked: “This is a brand-new initiative for us—a camp specifically designed for the front five to help us lock down the fine details of our set-piece work.
“Bringing together our seasoned senior players with members of the U20 and U18 teams helps establish both playing and personal connections across different age brackets. This supports our long-term positional development while also helping us prepare for the WXV.”
Squad Selected for the Training Block
Makarita Baleinadogo (Stade Bordelais)
Candice Barret (Stade Toulousain)
Amalia Bazola Allieres (Stade Toulousain)
Samantha Benavides (RC Toulon PM)
Rose Bernadou (Montpellier RC)
Yllana Brosseau (Stade Bordelais)
Cloé Correa (Stade Toulousain)
Anna Daniel (Montpellier RC)
Annaëlle Deshaye (Stade Bordelais)
Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain)
Madoussou Fall Raclot (Stade Bordelais)
Elina Folituu (Stade Toulousain)
Julia Grosz (Blagnac RF)
Hina Ikahehegi (Stade Bordelais)
Marine Kazmierczak (Stade Rochelais)
Assia Khalfaoui (Stade Bordelais)
Mathilde Lazarko (ASM Romagnat)
Maïlys Mailagi (Stade Bordelais)
Ambre Mwayembe (Stade Toulousain)
Elisa Riffonneau (FC Grenoble Amazones)
Siobhan Soqeta (FC Grenoble Amazones)
Malia Taofifenua (Stade Toulousain)
Oihana Tome Belmonte (Stade Bordelais)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Stade Rochelais)
