With Lina Queyroi ruled out, Carla Arbez will be pulling the strings for France against England on Saturday 20 September (16:30, in Bristol), while Hina Ikahehegi will partner Madoussou Fall Raclot in the engine room following the suspension of co-captain Manaë Feleu. For their part, the Red roses welcome back several senior players before taking on France.

Can France pull off the upset against England? Without Manaë Feleu and Axelle Berthoumieu, both suspended, Gaëlle Mignot and her staff have had to reshape their pack. In the second row, Hina Ikahehegi (22, 6 caps) will partner Madoussou Fall Raclot.

Charlotte Escudero will line up on the flank of the back row, as will Léa Champon, while Téani Feleu takes the number 8 shirt after her return last weekend against Ireland (18-13). Otherwise the front row is unchanged, with Agathe Gérin flanked by Yllana Brosseau and Rose Bernadou, who has recovered from the concussion she suffered last Sunday.

Nassira Konde in the centre of the attack

Behind, Carla Arbez will run the game for France after Lina Queyroi was ruled out (concussion), alongside Pauline Bourdon-Sansus. Nassira Konde is picked in the centre alongside Gabrielle Vernier, while Marine Ménager takes the captain’s armband. Joanna Grisez keeps her place on the opposite wing, while Kelly Arbey takes a seat on the bench.

After a 6-2 bench against Ireland, the France staff have this time opted for a 5-3, which notably includes Taïana Maka and Lina Tuy.



The France team sheet:

15 – Bourgeois ; 14 – Grisez, 13 – Konde, 12 – Vernier, 11 – Ménager (capt.) ; 10 – Arbez, 9 – Bourdon-Sansus ; 7 – Champon, 8 – T. Feleu, 6 – Escudero ; 5 – Ikahehegi, 4 – Fall-Raclot ; 3 – Bernadou, 2 – Gérin, 1 – Brosseau.

Replacements : 16 – Riffonneau, 17 – Deshaye, 18 – Khalfaoui, 19 – Maka, 20 – Okemba, 21 – Chambon, 22 – Tuy, 23 – Arbey.

While Gaëlle Mignot has had to reshuffle her side, England get several senior players back before taking on France for a place in the final (on 27 September, at Twickenham).

The senior players return for England

Impressive since the start of the competition, England get a few senior players back, either injured or rested against Scotland last weekend (40-8). Ellie Kildunne returns to full-back, as does Hannah Botterman at loosehead. Captain Zoe Aldcroft will lead a formidable back row with Sadia Kabeya and Alex Matthews. At half-back, Natasha Hunt and Zoe Harrison will orchestrate the game, backed by an explosive back line (Breach, Jones, Heard, Dow).

The England team sheet :

15 – Kildunne ; 14 – Dow, 13 – Jones, 12 – Heard, 11 – Breach ; 10 – Harrison, 9 – Hunt ; 7 – Kabeya, 8 – Matthews, 6 – Aldcroft (capt.) ; 5 – Ward, 4 – Talling ; 3 – Muir, 2 – Cokayne, 1 – Botterman.

Replacements : 16 – Atkin-Davies, 17 – Clifford, 18 – Bern, 19 – Galligan, 20 – Feaunati, 21 – Packer, 22 – Aitchison, 23 -Rowland.

England are on a run of 31 consecutive wins and 16 straight victories against France, the latest of them this summer in a World Cup warm-up match won comfortably 40-6 (in Mont-de-Marsan).