WXV – USA vs France – ARN Guide

The WXV moves to the southeast of Vancouver to Langley for Round 2 this weekend. With their most difficult opponent now behind them, the USA will be looking for a more competitive showing against France. Les Bleues suffered a heavy defeat to Canada but haven’t lost to the Eagles since 2013.

FORM GUIDE

Current World Ranking: 8 (74.97 points)
2024-09-29 – USA 21, England 61 (Vancouver)
2024-08-17 – Japan 8, USA 11 (Osaka)
2024-08-11 – Japan 17, USA 17 (Kitakyushu)
2024-05-17 – Australia 25, USA 32 (Melbourne)
2024-05-10 – New Zealand 57, USA 5 (Hamilton)

Current World Ranking: 4 (86.50 points)
2024-09-29 – Canada 46, France 24 (Vancouver)
2024-09-07 – England 38, France 19 (Gloucester)
2024-04-27 – France 21, England 42 (Bordeaux)
2024-04-21 – Wales 0, France 40 (Cardiff)
2024-04-14 – France 38, Italy 15 (Paris)

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

11 Lotte Clapp replaces Kris Thomas
12 Gabby Cantorna replaces Emily Henrich

8 Teani Feleu replaces Axelle Berthoumieu (No6 vs Canada)
14 Cyrielle Banet replaces Mélissandre Llorens

NOTES

• the Eagles have retained their entire starting pack but welcome two experienced heads to their backline… Exeter playmaker Gabby Cantorna partners Alev Kelter in the midfield and Saracens winger Lotte Clapp returns in place of Kris Thomas
• three further alterations for the US come on the bench… loosehead prop Maya Learned, back row Tessa Hann, and scrumhalf Cassidy Bargell well get their first opportunities of the tournament
• France have also opted for continuity with just two changes… Teani Feleu joins sister Manaé Feleu in the pack, with the former lining up at No8 and bumping Romane Ménager to the side of the scrum… it gives the side two sets of sisters with Marine Ménager retained on the wing
• the backline does see one personnel change, a reversal of the alteration ahead of the Canada test… veteran Montpellier flyer Cyrielle Banet is recalled in place of Mélissandre Llorens

QUOTES

Sione Fukofuka (Head Coach)

“As a team we were relatively pleased with our first 70 minutes against England but really want to create more opportunities to attack, so bringing Gabby Cantorna in allows us to have a second organizer on the field and increases our vision to attack within our system. Alev is a dangerous ball carrier and we feel that the outside channel will provide her with space that she can cause havoc in. Lotte returns to us after a great preseason at Saracens and provides experience in the back field and is a threat whenever she is around the ball.

“We know that we need to play for the full 80 minutes this week in order to be in position to get the result. We are very aware that France is a very dangerous team that has threats across the park in their pack, halves and centers, so we have been working hard on our connected line speed and dominant collisions. We created a number of turnovers last week, so are keen to repeat that pressure on France. Through our attack, we will be looking to launch off our scrum and lineout to create the momentum we want to unleash the outside threats we have in the team.”

PREDICTION

France were frustrated by Canada though they did fare well at the breakdown. The Eagles don’t have the same menacing physical presence up front, and the addition of Feleu at the back of the scrum gives Les Bleues a little more punch on attack. Look for an improved showing from the USA compared to their last meeting five years ago, but France are clear favorites in Langley.

TEAMS

USA
1 Hope Rogers, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Charli Jacoby, 4 Erica Jarrell, 5 Hallie Taufo’ou, 6 Tahlia Brody, 7 Kate Zackary (capt.), 8 Rachel Johnson, 9 Taina Tukuafu, 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 11 Lotte Clapp, 12 Gabby Cantorna, 13 Alev Kelter, 14 Cheta Emba, 15 Bulou Mataitoga

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Maya Learned, 18 Mae Sagapolu, 19 Rachel Ehrecke, 20 Tessa Hann, 21 Cassidy Bargell, 22 Joanne Fa’avesi, 23 Tess Feury

FRANCE
1 Yllana Brosseau, 2 Agathe Sochat, 3 Assia Khalfaoui, 4 Manaé Feleu (co-capt.), 5 Madoussou Fall, 6 Romane Ménager, 7 Émiline Gros, 8 Teani Feleu, 9 Pauline Bourdon, 10 Lina Queyroi, 11 Marine Ménager (co-capt.), 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 13 Nassira Konde, 14 Cyrielle Banet, 15 Chloé Jacquet

Replacements: 16 Elisa Riffonneau, 17 Ambre Mwayembe, 18 Rose Bernadou, 19 Axelle Berthoumieu, 20 Séraphine Okemba, 21 Océane Bordes, 22 Lina Tuy, 23 Émilie Boulard

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, October 5
Venue: Langley Events Centre, Langley
Kickoff: 12:30 local (15:30 Eastern, 21:30 Paris)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 55°F (13°C), wind NE 4-6mph (6-10km/h)
Broadcasts: RugbyPass TV

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada)
Assistants: Sara Cox (England) & Emma Gallagher (Canada)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (13): France 11, USA 2, Draw 1
2019-07-14 – USA 14, France 53 (Chula Vista)
2017-08-26 – France 31, USA 23 (Belfast)
2016-11-25 – France 31, USA 6 (Montpellier)
2016-11-22 – France 36, USA 10 (Béziers)
2016-07-01 – USA 13, France 19 (Salt Lake City)
2013-06-14 – USA 12, France 18 (Carson)
2013-06-11 – USA 25, France 27 (Oxnard)
2013-06-07 – USA 13, France 10 (Oxnard)
2012-11-24 – France 27, USA 3 (Paris)
2012-11-21 – France 13, USA 0 (Orléans)