Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: Matthieu Mirville / DPPI via AFP 20:08 p.m., April 23, 2023

The women's rugby France team is a hit with the public in its wake. During their victory against the Welsh on the fourth day of the Six Nations Tournament, the Blues were able to count on their supporters: no less than 18,600 spectators were in the spans of the Stade des Alpes, a record.

A new attendance record for a match of the Women's VI Nations Tournament was broken Sunday in Grenoble, during the meeting between France and Wales (39-14), with 18,604 spectators, welcomed Sunday the French Rugby Federation (FFR). "The latest record had already been reached in France at the Stade des Alpes with 17,440 spectators for the victory of the Blues against the English women in the 2018 Women's Six Nations Tournament," the last Grand Slam of the French, said the FFR in a statement.

Thanks to this victory, the fourth in four meetings of this 2023 edition of the Tournament, Audrey Forlani's teammates have offered themselves the right to play a "final" against the English "Red Roses" on April 29 at Twickenham, which for the occasion, will host a record attendance for a women's rugby match, with more than 50,000 people expected.

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"Exceptional enthusiasm"

With two sold-out matches in the last two meetings of the Women's France XV in France (10,044 spectators in Vannes for the match against Scotland and 18,604 in Grenoble), "it is a real fervor that emerges behind this team," adds the FFR. "In the wake of these figures and the TV audiences that increase each year, it is also the licensees who are committed and loyal to the practice of rugby in France," the statement added.

For Brigitte Jugla, vice-president of the FFR in charge of women's rugby and the feminization of rugby, quoted in the press release, "the players arouse an exceptional enthusiasm among rugby fans and even beyond. Today, we have more than 30,000 female practitioners in France, an increase of +74% since the 2017 World Cup."