Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Gaëlle Mignot: 'We're not hiding behind this victory'

LANGLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA - OCTOBER 05: Lina Queyroi of France runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Kate Zackary of the United States during the WXV 1 Pool match between USA and France at Langley Events Center on October 05, 2024 in Langley, British Columbia. (Photo by Rich Lam - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

It had been a while since the French coaching staff were seen smiling on the pitch after a match, sharing light-hearted moments with the players. The victory over USA (14-22) on Saturday, October 5, at the Langley Events Centre, brought a much-needed boost to the French team.

ADVERTISEMENT

Since their last win against Wales during the Women’s Six Nations on April 21, Les Bleues had endured a tough period, suffering three defeats in six months: twice to England and once to Canada just the week before. This win was a welcomed relief after such a challenging stretch.

Fixture
WXV 1
USA Women
14 - 22
Full-time
France Women
All Stats and Data

“Today, our main objective has been achieved,” co-selector David Ortiz admitted with a sigh of relief. “We’ve managed to improve in areas where we faltered last week, and that’s important because it reflects the core spirit of the group. We needed to tighten up on those things. We’re satisfied, but we know there’s still a lot to work on. This is just the first step that will help us keep building.”

Co-captain Marine Ménager echoed this sentiment, adding, “We were able to focus a bit more on our individual performances, which was lacking last week. Post-match discussions are always easier after a win. We defended really well and wanted to show a different side of ourselves after last weekend.”

A little nervous at the start

However, the French side struggled to find their rhythm in the early stages of the game, showing an unusual level of nervousness. The first 15 minutes were marked by sloppy passing and several handling errors, with dropped balls disrupting their flow and preventing them from settling into their game plan.

Points Flow Chart

France Women win +8
Time in lead
0
Mins in lead
74
0%
% Of Game In Lead
90%
88%
Possession Last 10 min
12%
7
Points Last 10 min
0

“The little bit of nervousness was partly due to the previous weekend’s performance. It had an impact on us,” admits Marine Ménager. “Maybe we needed to reassure ourselves about the start of the match, which we didn’t manage to do.

“Despite those dropped balls, we wanted to stick to our DNA, which is to play and take offloads. We didn’t want to cheat, just respect our mindset. I’m very proud of the group. When we’re a little less confident, on the first few balls, we’re more exposed to dropped balls or weaker connections than usual. This match will do us good and help us regain our self-confidence.”

The staff feel that this lack of confidence, like the frequent clumsiness, is one of the points that needs to be corrected quickly. “Overall, let’s face it, it was a mixed game on a number of levels,” says David Ortiz.

ADVERTISEMENT

Set Plays

9
Scrums
9
100%
Scrum Win %
67%
17
Lineout
11
82%
Lineout Win %
82%
2
Restarts Received
5
50%
Restarts Received Win %
60%

“We were quite pleased with our defence and conquest. But we lacked precision in attack. It’s still our DNA, our project, and everyone is part of it. We can still improve on certain details.

“We need to get our heads together, find our automatisms and finish passing these balls. We’ve created some opportunities to score, but now we need to finish the moves and make sure that we score more quickly.”

“Not everything is perfect yet,” continues Gaëlle Mignot. “Our kicking game is also a reflection of what we’ve been doing: there are times when there’s a bit of slagging and things don’t work. We’re not hiding behind this victory. We wanted to put a smile back on our faces with victory, but today we still have a lot of work to do.”

Match Summary

0
Penalty Goals
1
2
Tries
3
2
Conversions
2
0
Drop Goals
0
169
Carries
115
5
Line Breaks
9
14
Turnovers Lost
22
6
Turnovers Won
8
ADVERTISEMENT

Another example that corroborates the first observations. After a good first half in terms of discipline, Les Bleues gradually lost their way, getting into a number of errors, but without conceding a card.

“We went into the break with two errors, and that’s an area we’d targeted and focused on. We wanted to play a full match with 15 players,” confirms Gaëlle Mignot.

“Indiscipline had been costing us dearly in the form of cards for a number of games, and that was something we took for granted. At one point, in the last 20 minutes, the USA girls got back into the rhythm of the match and made progress. And that lead led to errors. We need to be able to manage these key moments of the match better if we’re going to be able to follow up these great performances.”

Looking ahead, the upcoming week promises excitement with the highly anticipated match against the Black Ferns.

New tickets for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 are now available, with prices starting at £10 for adults and £5 for children. Buy now!

ADVERTISEMENT

Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

USA vs England | Men's International | Full Match Replay

France v Argentina | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

Lions Share | Episode 4

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

2 Comments
J
JPM 291 days ago

Unfortunately France is not improving but seriously regressing under the Mignot-Ortiz coaching tandem.

C
CN 291 days ago

Partly agree, France are not going forwards or backwards, they are just standing still

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

LONG READ
LONG READ 'The Wallabies need to convert much better - or Melbourne could be much worse' 'The Wallabies need to convert much better - or Melbourne could be much worse'