Four players from France Women’s Grand Slam-winning team have been rewarded with nominations for the World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year award.
Skipper Gaëlle Hermet, goal-kicker Jessy Trémoulière, second row Safi N’Diaye and half-back Pauline Bourdon join New Zealand’s Fiao’o Faamausili on the five-player shortlist.
Les Bleues won the Grand Slam thanks in the spring, including beating England 18-17 in front of a world record crowd in Grenoble in round four.
Hermet, just 22 years old, took on the captaincy this season and led from the front in the back row as France claimed the title.
In a position of strength for France, Hermet stood out with her support play and was crucial throughout the Championship.
Full-back Trémoulière finished the Women’s Six Nations as the top points scorer with 58 points including five tries.
She scored two of those against England, including one at the death to see off the defending champions in what turned out to be the crucial game of the Championship.
The third nominee is N’Diaye, who this year switched from her familiar position at No.8 into the second row.
Such a big move at this stage in her career might have been difficult for some but N’Diaye thrived in the new role, continuing to offer her trademark carrying ability at lock.
Finally, Bourdon, another youngster at 22, is rewarded for her performances at both scrum-half and fly-half for Les Bleues.
After starting the campaign in the No.10 jersey, she then switched to nine and formed a very effective partnership with Caroline Drouin, grabbing a couple of tries against Italy and Wales along the way.
