Women’s Six Nations history

The second-most successful team in the tournament’s history, France are annually England’s closest rivals, finishing second to the Red Roses for the past five years, writes Jess Hayden.

Success for France can only mean beating the Red Roses, a feat they haven’t achieved since Jessy Trémoulière’s last-gasp try in Grenoble secured a Grand Slam, by 18-17, seven years ago.

Les Bleues tend to win all other games in the competition, meaning their match against England is usually the Grand Slam decider.

Women’s Six Nations: Form guide

France had an ordinary 2024, beating the USA and New Zealand at WXV1 but losing to Canada and to England twice. While they did beat all teams but England in last year’s Six Nations, including a 40-0 drubbing of Wales, France often struggled to capitalise when they reached the opposition’s 22 – a flaw which cost them against stronger opposition.

France like an offloading game, topping the offloads charts (72) in last year’s championship, but their forté is their set-piece – they boasted the most successful scrum (96.8%) of the 2024 edition.

Read more: How to watch the 2025 Women’s Six Nations

Their best chance of defeating England is to focus on winning the collision, the strongest part of their game, and it will be their forwards that decide this year’s victor.

Lock Manae Feleu and wing Marine Ménager are the co-captains for the opening match against Ireland in Belfast.

Manae Feleu, the French second-row and co-captain, at the Six Nations launch in London (Getty Images)

Women’s Six Nations: Key players

A powerhouse of the French pack, Romane Ménager is the most athletic and ferocious ball-carrier in the team, and perhaps the whole Six Nations.

The agile back-row has the speed of a back but combines it with the physicality needed to sit down defenders. While excellent to watch with the ball in her hands, it’s her work at scrum time that is most impactful.

She misses the start of the championship as she is working her back from concussion.

Read more: England Red Roses Six Nations preview

We should also mention her twin, co-captain Marine, who matches Romane’s athleticism. Watch out for the winger’s line breaks – she made five crowd-stirring ones last year.

Scrum-half Pauline Bourdon-Sansus is one of the key playmakers of the side. With 61 caps to her name, she is one of her country’s most experienced players.

Coached at her club by her wife, ex-France nine Laure Sansus-Bourdon, she is a gifted playmaker whose ability to break tackles and create scoring opportunities – including five try assists last year – makes her a valuable asset.

Women’s Six Nations: Ones to watch

Fly-half Lina Queyroi is wise beyond her 23 years and excels in slowing the game down to suit France, and spotting gaps in the defence. She is a fine footballer, often getting try assists via the boot by putting her back three into space.

Against less structured sides like Italy, Queyroi comes alive and will set the tone for the French back-line.

Emilie Boulard is as adept in attack as she is in defence, making the most metres of any French player at last year’s tournament. While all games matter, watch out for the 25-year-old if she starts against England. The full-back has one of the hardest jobs in rugby, being the last line of defence between the try-line and England’s attack.

Women’s Six Nation: The coaches

Former France captain Gaëlle Mignot is just one half of the coaching ticket as she has shared the head role with David Ortiz since late 2022.

The two manage different areas as Mignot – who won 70 caps at hooker – manages France’s attack, contact and scrum, while Ortiz handles the defence and lineout.

Ortiz, previously defence coach, hopes to make France the best lineout operators in the world, a stiff challenge when set against the likes of England and New Zealand.

Their partnership is an unusual situation but one that seems to work for France. “The fact there are two of us allows us to temper our decisions, to consider them carefully, to build them up. It’s really the opinion of both that is taken into account,” Mignot said.

“Sometimes we may not agree on a subject but we put forward the pros and cons and we manage to find a consensus.”

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