France-Italy: "Show our true face", the Blues want to break their glass ceiling at the World Cup

A first step towards a historic outcome or the repetition of an inevitable scenario, a sort of Groundhog Day? Les Bleues begin their World Cup in England this Saturday evening (9:15 p.m.) in Exeter against Italy with the ambition of finally breaking the glass ceiling, or rather the leaden blanket that always keeps them far from the honors in this competition, a good distance from the crowned heads.

In the nine editions that have taken place since the competition's creation in 1991, the French XV has never made it past the semi-finals. It has failed eight times, including a quarter-final defeat in 1998.

"We're really looking forward to starting the competition," said co-captain Manae Feleu . "We had some problems against England two weeks ago. But I think we have a lot of ego in this team. And we want to show our true colors to Italy this weekend. We want to send a message to the other teams that we're here."

On August 9, the French team suffered a 40-6 defeat in a warm-up match against the English, the big favorites in a competition they have already won twice. The Red Roses seem to be an almost insurmountable obstacle for the French team, who have consistently lost to them - a current series of sixteen defeats - for the past seven years (the last victory was in 2018 in the Six Nations Tournament).

The confrontation between the two nations is likely to take place in the semi-finals. The French are indeed favorites against the Italians, despite the absence of scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus , who is serving her final match of suspension for making inappropriate remarks towards the referee during the final of the French Championship. They should then stroll against Brazil on August 31st, and against South Africa on September 7th, qualifying for the quarter-finals and heading towards the much-anticipated clash.

"I think we're all aware that what we did against England doesn't at all reflect the preparation we've put in, nor the work we've put in over the last few years," says co-manager Gaëlle Mignot. "We have to let go, to show, as the girls say, our true colors." Just as they did in the Six Nations Tournament "final" on April 26 at Twickenham, falling just one point behind the Red Roses (43-42).

A victory in a competition that will be broadcast on TF1 and France Télévisions would obviously have repercussions for French rugby . "Today, there are 53,000 registered players, and we want to eventually increase this to 100,000," said Florian Grill, president of the French Rugby Federation. "For women's rugby, there will be a before and after this World Cup," added Jean-Marc Lhermet, the FFR's vice-president in charge of high-level rugby.

The players, however, don't want to look that far ahead. Their goal stretches over five weeks, with the final at Twickenham on September 27th at the very top of this mountain they've never climbed. "When you take part in a World Cup, you don't know if you'll have another one in your life," philosophizes Manae Feleu. "I know that the most important thing I have to say to the young players is to live every moment to the fullest." If there's a reward at the end, it will be even greater.