France women's national rugby sevens team

Last updated
France
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Union French Rugby Federation
Coach(es)Romain Huet
Captain(s) Carla Neisen
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Team kit
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Change kit
World Cup Sevens
Appearances3 (First in 2009 )
Best resultRunners-up (2018)

France women's national rugby sevens team represents France in the Rugby Europe Women's Sevens, World Rugby Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Summer Olympic Games. They are currently the 2023 European Champions; they were also champions in 2007 and 2015. France has competed in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics and were silver medalists at the 2020 Games.

Contents

They have been a core team in the Women's Sevens Series since the 2014–15 season. They have also competed in the Sevens World Cup since the inauguration of the women's tournament in 2009, and were silver medalists in 2018.

History

Sevens World Cup

France competed in the inaugural Women's Sevens World Cup in Dubai in 2009. They finished at the top of their pool, despite losing to the Netherlands in their opening game. They were eliminated by the United States in the Cup quarter-finals, without having scored a single point. They finally finished in seventh place after losing to Canada in the Plate semi-finals.

Sevens Series debut

As the first edition of the Women's Sevens World Series commenced in the 2012–2013 season, France participated as an invitational team for two of the four tournaments.

2013 Sevens World Cup

In 2013, France took part in their second World Cup at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. They finished third in their pool behind Russia and England, with Russia surprising England to win the last match of the group stage. In the Bowl finals, France dominated Tunisia in the quarter-finals, before being eliminated by Fiji. They eventually finished in eleventh place overall.

Road to Rio

In order to qualify for the Rio Olympics, where rugby was making its return, France had to win the 2015 Grand Prix with a best combined result of two tournaments. After failing in the first stage in Kazan in the final against the Russians, the Les Bleues got their revenge in Brive in the final stage by beating Russia in the semi-final. They then won the final against Spain and qualified for the 2016 Olympics.

Les Bleues started their first Olympic Games with victories against Spain and Kenya, but lost to New Zealand and were placed second in their pool. They then lost in the quarter-finals of the medal play-offs against Canada, they met Spain again in the semi-final for fifth place and beat them. However, they lost to the United States in the final and finished in sixth place.

2018 Sevens World Cup

They competed at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens, their qualification being determined by their placement in the 2016–17 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series. [1] They went undefeated on their way to the final, even beating Olympic champions Australia by 19–12 in the semi-finals, before succumbing to defending champions New Zealand in the finals, where they were defeated 29–0. [2]

Tokyo Olympics

France qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, after winning the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament in Monaco. [3] They went undefeated until the gold medal final, where they lost to New Zealand by 26–12. [4]

Tournament history

Summer Olympics

Olympic Games record
YearRoundPositionPldWLD
Flag of Brazil.svg 2016 Quarterfinals6th6330
Flag of Japan.svg 2020 Gold medal finalSilver medal icon.svg6510
Flag of France.svg 2024 Quarterfinals5th6510
Total0 Titles3/3181350

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Rugby World Cup Sevens
YearRoundPositionPldWLD
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg 2009 Plate Semifinalists7th5230
Flag of Russia.svg 2013 Bowl Semifinalists11th5221
Flag of the United States.svg 2018 Final2nd4310
Flag of South Africa.svg 2022 Bronze final3rd4310
Total0 Titles4/4181071

Rugby X Tournament

Rugby X Tournament
YearPositionPldWLD
Flag of England.svg 2019 3rd2110

Women's Sevens Series

SeriesSeasonEventsPositionPoints
I 2012–13 2 / 412th9
II 2013–14 3 / 58th21
III 2014–15 66th72
IV 2015–16 55th60
V 2016–17 67th60
VI 2017–18 5Bronze medal icon.svg68
VII 2018–19 65th70
VIII 2019–20 54th70
2020–21 Cancelled due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. [5]
IX 2021–22 6Silver medal icon.svg84
X 2022–23 74th92
XI 2023–24 8Bronze medal icon.svg (League)

Silver medal icon.svg (Grand Final)

104

Players

Current squad

Squad named for the 2023 World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series in Vancouver from the 3–5 March.

Caps updated to the latest date: 5 March 2023

Flag of France.svg France Women 7's
#PlayerPositionHeightWeightDate of birthMatchesPoints scoredClub
1 Séraphine Okemba Left wing 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)78 kg (172 lb)December 3, 1995114250 Lyon OU
3 Chloé Pelle Tighthead Prop 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)70 kg (150 lb)November 14, 1989207310 Rugby Club Chilly-Mazarin
4 Lou Noel Tighthead Prop 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)60 kg (130 lb)November 25, 20005055 AC Bobigny 93 Rugby
5 Joanna Grisez Left wing 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)56 kg (123 lb)October 5, 199673230 AC Bobigny 93 Rugby
6 Yolaine Yengo Outside Centre 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)52 kg (115 lb)April 24, 199367147 Stade Rennais Rugby
8 Camille Grassineau Left wing 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)58 kg (128 lb)September 10, 1990210410 Stade Français Paris
9 Carla Neisen Outside Centre 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)67 kg (148 lb)March 8, 1996139155 Blagnac Rugby Féminin
10 Caroline Drouin Fly Half 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)74 kg (163 lb)July 7, 199695225 Stade Rennais Rugby
13 Jade Ulutule Fullback 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)63 kg (139 lb)October 12, 1992116511 Stade Rennais Rugby
15 Chloé Jacquet Inside Centre 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)58 kg (128 lb)April 17, 20021822
28 Lili Dezou Inside Centre 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)60 kg (130 lb)July 8, 20042432 Stade Toulousain
88 Iän Jason Fullback 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)51 kg (112 lb)January 18, 19976377 Stade Toulousain
Coach: David Courteix
2022–23 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series

Previous squads

Award winners

The following France Sevens players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2013: [6] [7]

See also

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References

  1. "Four More Teams Set for San Francisco After Qualifying for RWC Sevens 2018". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  2. "Black Ferns too good for France to defend Sevens World Cup title". Stuff. 2018-07-22. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  3. "Russia and France on the way to Tokyo". Scrum Queens. 2021-06-20. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  4. Pye, John (2021-07-31). "New Zealand beats France to clinch gold in women's rugby 7s". The Toronto Star. ISSN   0319-0781 . Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  5. "HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series to double-up in Canada and Dubai". World Rugby. 3 September 2021. Archived from the original on 4 September 2021.
  6. "Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  7. ""Believe in your dreams" – sevens star Anne-Cécile Ciofani". www.women.rugby. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2024.