France, with 11 fresh faces in their starting line-up, sent a warning to their rivals with a compelling and ruthless display against a willing if limited Brazil, who got what they wanted with an emotional score.
Story of the match
Despite the result, France were left rueing their looseness in their opening Pool D win over Italy – not a charge that could be levelled at them in Exeter on Sunday afternoon. Nine first half tries were indicative of a clinical Les Bleus, who came roaring out the traps and barely let up.
Two returning players were central to such ruthlessness. Iconic scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus took most of the pre-match attention but she will no doubt be happy to have shared the headlines with teammate Emilie Boulard. It was the all-action full-back who opened the scoring, showing a neat step.
Then Bourdon Sansus got to work, scoring a stunning third and setting up the fourth with a deft kick through for rapid winger Kelly Arbey to pick up. The diminutive No.9 – one of the nominations for the 2024 World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year – was also central to arguably the try of the match. Gathering a pass deep in her own half, Bourdon Sansus outstripped the cover and released Boulard who pinned her ears back before slipping a delightful inside ball to skipper Marine Menager.
For Brazil, and their passionate fans there was a moment that they will never forget. After exciting the crowd throughout with their grit and ambition to play, the ball found its way across to Bianca Silva in the 64-minute. Not much looked on but the replacement back had other ideas. An outrageous dummy sent her though the stunned French line and then she raced 40m-plus to the line and a place in history.
But even that outpouring of joy could not halt the French, who added five more tries in the second half to give the coach plenty of happy selection headaches moving forwards.
MORE TO FOLLOW.