Stéphane Burgatt (in Marseille), edited by Juline Garnier 10:08 a.m., April 30, 2022

This Saturday takes place the last group match between the French and the English in Bayonne.

The girls of the XV of France are one step away from the six nations tournament, with a potential Grand Slam at the end.

Women's rugby is currently enjoying great success, especially in regions where the culture is more that of the round ball, such as Marseille.

REPORT

In great shape, the girls of the XV of France are one step away from winning the six nations tournament.

Among women, rugby is becoming more and more popular.

In Marseille, a city that is nevertheless attached to football in the collective imagination, many of them have registered to practice this sport where for them everything is to be created.

In the Marseille club, twins, Sarah and Mathilde, have been playing at the center three-quarter position for nine years.

The most difficult for them?

Make their mother accept the idea.

Contact in the game, but no violence

"She wanted to know if we were going to break our noses or something. She was afraid, when in the end in nine years, we never did anything," they describe.

"When we were little, we put on a helmet and a mouth guard. Then, over the years, we started taking it off and we have nothing left."

Élodie, as an opening half, has sixteen years of women's rugby on the clock.

She turned this sport into a real passion.

"It's a treat. Because there is contact in the game, so it's not violence, it's my hobby. And frankly, I wouldn't leave [this sport] for anything else “, says the player. 

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Sophie, the winger joined the team five years ago.

"I started when the club was still at seven [players], then afterwards, we went to ten. Today at fifteen. So this illustrates the desire to evolve in women's rugby," she explains. 

But everything remains to be done to promote this sport among girls.

It's a constant fight for trainer Antoine Delporte.

"Nothing is certain, nothing is fixed, you have to be in action all the time, go look in the neighborhoods, distribute flyers," he says.

The coach is counting on the performance of the fifteen of France women to encourage vocations.

"We cross fingers."