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New Zealand will be looking to take another step towards a Women’s Rugby Super Series title on Saturday but will face a challenging French side that have had the measure of them twice in the past three years. In fact their most recent contest saw Les Bleues steal a famous 30-27 victory from the world champions at Grenoble in November.
France were well beaten by Canada in their first match of the competition and have lost another key forward to injury. Already deprived of Lénaïg Corson and Romane Ménager, try-scoring lock Safi N’Diaye has dropped out with an ankle injury leaving the forward pack well short of its best.
Madoussou Fall comes in for her first test start at lock, one of four changes up front. Caroline Thomas and Annaëlle Deshayes start at hooker and tighthead prop respectively, with Céline Ferer installed on the blindside flank and captain Gaëlle Hermet shifting to No8.
The Black Ferns weren’t quite at their best against the USA but still managed to shut out their hosts. Glenn Moore has opted for a virtually full strength side minus captain Lesley Elder, who sits out the match as precaution. Toka Natua is recalled at loosehead with Marcelle Parkes deputising for Elder on the flank.
World Cup stars Kelly Brazier and Selica Winiata return at inside center and fullback respectively with Renee Wickliffe moving back to the right wing. Kendra Cocksedge wins her 50th cap and is given the honor of leading the side in Elder’s absence. Moore was effusive in his praise of the scrumhalf.
“Kendra directs the team around the field and she’s been the best number nine in the world for a number of years now. She is relentless and very competitive and she trains as hard as she plays.
“We’ve had a couple of good wins but if there’s one thing we know about the French it’s that they take a step up when they face the black jersey. We saw that when we played them eight months ago.”
Kickoff is set for 2:15pm local time, 5:15pm Eastern. Live broadcasts will be available on FloRugby in the USA, Sky Sports in New Zealand, and France 4. Tickets are available now on the USA Rugby site.
FRANCE
1 Lise Arricastre, 2 Caroline Thomas, 3 Annaëlle Deshayes, 4 Madoussou Fall, 5 Audrey Forlani, 6 Céline Ferer, 7 Coumba Diallo, 8 Gaëlle Hermet (capt.), 9 Pauline Bourdon, 10 Morgane Peyronnet, 11 Morgane Ménager, 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 13 Maëlle Filopon, 14 Caroline Boujard, 15 Jessy Trémoulière
Replacements: 16 Agathe Sochat, 17 Célia Domain, 18 Clara Joyeux, 19 Fiona Lecat, 20 Emeline Gros, 21 Camille Imart, 22 Laure Sansus, 23 Élise Pignot
NEW ZEALAND
1 Toka Natua, 2 Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, 3 Aleisha-Pearl Nelson, 4 Eloise Blackwell, 5 Charmaine Smith, 6 Pia Tapsell, 7 Marcelle Parkes, 8 Charmaine McMenamin, 9 Kendra Cocksedge (capt.), 10 Ruahei Demant, 11 Ayesha Leti-I’iga, 12 Kelly Brazier, 13 Carla Hohepa, 14 Renee Wickliffe, 15 Selica Winiata
Replacements: 16 Luka Connor, 17 Phillipa Love, 18 Leilani Perese, 19 Karli Faneva, 20 Kennedy Simon, 21 Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, 22 Chelsey Alley, 23 Alena Saili
Date: Saturday, July 6
Venue: Elite Athlete Training Center, Chula Vista
Kickoff: 14:15 local (17:15 Eastern)
Referee: Joy Neville (IRFU)
Assistants: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU) & Amelia Luciano (USAR)
Broadcasts: FloRugby (USA), France 4 (FRA), Sky Sports (NZL)
