France women's national rugby sevens team explained

Country:France
Union:French Rugby Federation
Captain:Carla Neisen
Coach:David Courteix
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Sevens:yes
World Cup Apps:3
Year:2009
Best:Runners-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.

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 quarters 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 playoffs 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, 19–12 in the semis 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 26–12.[4]

Tournament history

Summer Olympics

Olympic Games record
YearRoundPosition
2016Quarterfinals6th6330
2020Gold medal final6510
2024Quarterfinals 5th6510
Total0 Titles3/3181350

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Rugby World Cup Sevens
YearRoundPosition
2009Plate Semifinalists7th5230
2013Bowl Semifinalists11th5221
2018Final2nd4310
2022Bronze final3rd4310
Total0 Titles4/4181071

Women's Sevens Series

SeriesSeasonEventsPositionPoints
I2012–132 / 412th9
II2013–143 / 58th21
III2014–1566th72
IV2015–1655th60
V2016–1767th60
VI2017–18568
VII2018–1965th70
VIII2019–2054th70
2020–21Cancelled due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
IX2021–22684
X2022–2374th92
XI2023–248 (League) (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

Award winners

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

World Rugby Women's 7s Player of the Year
width=40Yearwidth=170Nomineeswidth=170Winners
2021Anne-Cécile CiofaniAnne-Cécile Ciofani

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Four More Teams Set for San Francisco After Qualifying for RWC Sevens 2018 . 2021-10-24 . infobae . es-ES.
  2. Web site: 2018-07-22 . Black Ferns too good for France to defend Sevens World Cup title . 2021-10-24 . Stuff . en.
  3. Web site: 2021-06-20. Russia and France on the way to Tokyo.. 2021-10-24. Scrum Queens. en.
  4. News: Pye. John. 2021-07-31. New Zealand beats France to clinch gold in women's rugby 7s. en-CA. The Toronto Star. 2021-10-24. 0319-0781.
  5. Web site: 3 September 2021 . HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series to double-up in Canada and Dubai . https://web.archive.org/web/20210904064728/https://www.world.rugby/sevens-series/news/660782/hsbc-world-rugby-sevens-series-to-double-up-in-canada-and-dubai . 4 September 2021 . World Rugby.
  6. News: Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby . www.world.rugby . 16 March 2024 . en.