• Despite an incredible debauchery of energy, the XV of France lost the final of the Six Nations Tournament on Saturday against England, bête noire of the Blue.

  • Beyond a logical frustration, Marjorie Mayans projects herself towards a future that she believes to be bright.

  • The 30-year-old Blagnacaise, including nearly 10 in Blue, testifies to the “extraordinary evolution” of her sport.

Still a little chewed after the bitter fight played the day before with the XV of France, Marjorie Mayans gave an interview to

20 Minutes

from Marcoussis, this Sunday at midday.

The indefatigable 30-year-old third line, part of the 45 selections, seems to have already digested the disappointment of the final of the VI Nations Tournament lost on Saturday against the English (10-6).

La Blagnacaise prefers to project herself towards a future that she imagines bright for Les Bleues and women's rugby in general.

What feeling dominates cold, after this new defeat against the English?

Frustration already.

We did not manage to put our game in place.

The English have been able to slow down all the balloons, all the rucks.

We also lacked a little realism at the start of the game.

This is the eighth loss in a row against your black clad beast.

Was the outcome inevitable?

I think we are really not far.

I don't care too much.

We are under construction, with a group that grows and matures together.

We have players with enormous qualities.

We lack a bit of that serenity and confidence that English women have.

They were built on victory and have psychological influence over us.

Isn't there a certain logic behind these results, compared to the structural advance of English women's rugby?

Maybe we're late, yes.

But it's not something I dwell on.

We still have the weapons to compete.

The Elite 1 championship, with large differences in levels and therefore in scores, still poses a problem, even if the format will change and increase to 12 clubs ...

In recent years, we will say that we are looking a little bit… The FFR has been trying out several formulas, which must each time be adapted to international competitions.

This year, it was a Top 16. It was still complicated but I think that in two or three years, we will have a fairly homogeneous, coherent championship.

On a more general level, can we say that women's rugby has nothing to do with that of your international debut, almost ten years ago?

Of course. In terms of quality, pool of players, there has been an extraordinary development in ten years. This is normal, men's rugby also experienced this in its infancy. There is really a professionalization of the practice, with players who arrive at 18 years old technically and physically trained. I enjoy playing with these already extraordinary young people.

Mentalities have changed, I also see it in Blagnac.

Girls who play in elite teams really have sport as a priority.

They train every day, compared to three times a week 10 years ago.

If it's not rugby sessions, four times a week, it's weight training or something.

We are really in a high level dynamic in which some were already there, but not all.

Now it's very homogeneous.

This is why today, the France group is very substantial.

And this is felt in the rhythm of the matches ...

Yes, because we train a lot more.

Internationals, we have extra sessions during the day.

Even girls who are not in the France team do them with us.

Everyone is doing rab.

The England-France match drew more than a million viewers on Saturday afternoon on France 2. What does that inspire you?

It's super fun.

Since 2014 and the World Cup in France, there has been an explosion in terms of media coverage.

We hoped it wasn't just a bang.

Finally, it continues.

We feel supported.

People are happy to see us.

Women's rugby is evolving, and so is the game, and it will continue.

The next five years are going to be superb, in France as elsewhere.

However, there are still detractors, who criticize in particular a weakness in the kicking game ...

It has nothing to do with a male or female affair.

Women's rugby is more recent than men's and professionalization among girls is not yet at the boys' stage.

When we train every day, we improve.

When it's only three times a week, it's hard to produce great rugby.

Girls start younger and younger.

When I see kids in rugby school, I think it's great.

Parents are less and less afraid to bring their little girl with the boys.

Of course, there are always a few exceptions (Bleues back Emilie Boulard, 21, only started rugby in 2017).

They are gifted, with enormous physical and technical qualities that they have surely developed in other sports, who arrive late and manage to find a place quickly.

Have you felt the outlook on women's rugby change over time?

Yes.

When I started when I was nine, in 1999, I was told "oh well, are you a girl and you play rugby?"

It's weird… ”Now, nobody is surprised, or almost.

Like all sports, rugby is mixed.

It's time to say that anyone, man or woman, can play the sport he or she wants, without being judged by his or her manhood, femininity or anything else.

What's your status?

With the FFR, we are semi-pros.

There are about fifty girls under contract, between the French teams at XV and at VII.

Some practice both disciplines.

You are one of the headliners of women's rugby in France and also benefit from sponsors.

We are unfortunately only a few in this case.

It would be nice if it generalized to all girls, because it is a real plus, whether for sports equipment or scrap materials.

It makes life easier.

That said, it is essential for us today to have a double project.

We can make a living from rugby but it can stop overnight and we don't earn enough to be able to rely on it.

For psychological stability, it's also always good to have something else in your life.

What are you doing outside of your sport?

I am passing my coaching diploma this year and next year, I hope to resume a Master 2 in Law.

I don't want coaching to be my main professional project.

I especially want to become a corporate lawyer, still rubbing shoulders with athletes.

You alternated between XV and VII until last year.

Why did you stop?

Because of the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics (from 2020 to 2021), announced during the first confinement.

I asked myself the question of leaving for another year.

I wanted to apply for the Olympics and then switch to XV with a view to the World Cup (initially scheduled for next September-October in New Zealand, before being postponed to 2022).

I couldn't see myself continuing for another year.

I gave everything with the VII, I had a great time, I had an extraordinary time but a year later, I might not have been up to par.

The team is in great shape right now, with some amazing youngsters arriving over the past three or four years.

Let's go back to the XV of France to finish.

The World Cup initially scheduled for 2021 was therefore postponed for a year against the backdrop of a health crisis.

It's good news ?

Yes, it's more of an opportunity for the France team (currently fourth in the world rankings, behind England, first, New Zealand and Canada).

Obviously, when we heard the news, we were really disappointed.

When you prepare for a goal and are told that it's postponed for a year, it's always mentally complicated.

But that leaves time to prepare, to build something solid to achieve a good result.

Sport

VI Nations: The Blue held up well but it was the English who won the Tournament ... The final to be relived live

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Sixth Nations Tournament: But why do the French women struggle so much against the English?

  • 6 Nations

  • Toulouse

  • French women's team

  • Female sport

  • XV of France

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  • Rugby