women
international women
France defeated Canada in a commanding 21-5 win at WXV Global Series at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre in La Rochelle.
Les Bleues entered this competition after winning 29-26 Australia last weekend. They had to bounce back from a difficult start against the Wallaroos and scored late on to secure victory.
After losing 28-14 to New Zealand in their opening match, France looked to build on that comeback and produce better control against Canada.
Kevin Rouet’s team entered the first two rounds without defeat. They started their campaign with a 64-26 win Scotland before holding England to a 26-26 draw last weekend in the Women’s 2025 replay Rugby World Cup The final. That result showed their ability to match England’s intensity and would give them plenty of confidence for France.
For François Ratier’s men, discipline was the main focus after their hard-fought game against Australia, while Canada looked to bring the physicality and attacking ambition that characterized their first two matches.
Here are the talking points from the match…
Emily Boulard batted first
Emily Boulard crashed over in the first attempt of the match to give the hosts an early lead in La Rochelle.
France applied the pressure and eventually found a breakthrough, Boulard finishing the move superbly.
It was exactly the start France would have wanted as they put Canada on the back foot.
Lizzie Gibson provided the answer
And Canada fought right back! Lizzie Gibson crossed for Canada, which proved an almost immediate response to France’s first try.
The Canadians refused to allow France to build any momentum, keeping up the pressure and eventually finding their way to the line.
Gibson showed exactly what she brings from the back row – strength, determination and the ability to turn constant pressure into points.
France struck first, but Canada responded decisively and leveled the contest.
France’s defense and discipline are much improved compared to last week
There was a noticeable improvement from France defensively.
After an incredibly chaotic and ill-disciplined performance against Australia last weekend, when France picked up five bookings and were reduced to 11 men at one stage, they looked far more composed against Canada.
Their defensive line was much more organised, matches were played with greater control and most importantly France stayed on the right side of the referee.
It was a far more disciplined performance from Les Bleues and that defensive solidity gave them the platform to control the game.
Canada struggled to find their attacking rhythm
Canada just hasn’t found the offensive flow we’ve seen from them before in this WXV Global Series.
Fans know how dangerous Kevin Rouet’s players can be when playing quick balls and runs, but France’s defensive organization constantly disrupted their rhythm.
They were often forced into individual carries and more difficult options rather than playing with the fluidity fans saw against Scotland and England.
Credit must go to France – their defensive line was disciplined, cohesive and difficult to break down.
France closed out a convincing win over Canada
After the chaos of their game against the Wallaroos last weekend, France produced a much more controlled and disciplined performance against Canada.
Their defensive organization was excellent, and they gave the guests very little space to play.
Kevin Rouet’s side struggled to find a foothold in the game, particularly in attack, while France were more clinical when the opportunities presented themselves.
The final score of 21-5 tells the story: a disciplined, defensively assured performance from France, who controlled the contest and closed it out impressively.
