Zoé Jean wants her team to ambition: to be pioneers, nothing less. She has already achieved this with the U18s. In 2022, after three victories over Ireland and England, they won the inaugural edition of the European Festival.
The following year, the same team achieved a Grand Slam at the U18 Six Nations Festival, winning all five of their matches. It was historic to have such a competition for this age group at that time.
“It was an incredible adventure, especially as it was the first one,” recalls Jean. “We really wanted to win and prove that France was a cut above the rest. We knew the English would be waiting for us. It was the first, and in our minds, we'll always be the first. We won.”
With the first Women's Summer Series taking place in Parma from July 4-14 this year, the goal is to maintain their dominance over the other European nations. “I compare the Summer Series to what we experienced at the U18 level," outlines the Stade Toulousain number eight. "That was the first time, and this will be the first time too. I'm more interested in seeing how the group develops in this environment with three games in ten days.
"We finish with England, which is the most eagerly awaited match and perhaps the toughest. I'm keen to see how we stick together when the going gets tough, because not everything is going to be perfect.”
An opportunity for this age group
Organising such competitions for women of this age is a great opportunity and a significant signal for the future of rugby. Zoé Jean understands just how fortunate she is. “When I talk to the girls from Stade who were at the U20 level seven years ago, if they played England twice in a year, that was it. Now we have opportunities they didn't have ten years ago. Yes, we still do fewer things than the boys, but I can see how lucky we are to be experiencing what we are,” she says.
Playing against the best women's rugby teams in Europe at this age is a learning experience, both in terms of the game and the mindset. She cites the example of their only match so far this year, against England in Rouen on April 20.
With a final score of 74-0, France led 22-0 at half-time and scored eight tries in the second half (featuring a hat-trick from young international Kelly Arbey). It marked their 20th win in the last 21 meetings (with one draw). The last time England defeated France at this level was in 2011.
“I don't think the final score in Rouen accurately reflects what happened on the pitch,” admits the captain. “We won by a large margin, but it was a very tough, hard-fought game with a lot of contact. We're up against some tough opposition, and they're going to come out of the tournament really fired up. To lose that badly is a blow to the ego, and we'll have to be very careful about that.”
Le Crunch on 14 July will be their third match in the span of ten days. Prior to that, Les Bleuettes will face Wales on 4 July and Scotland on 9 July.
Half a life dedicated to rugby
If Zoé Jean is one of the players to watch in this Women's Summer Series, it's no coincidence. At 20, she has already devoted half of her life to rugby, a sport her brother played in Fleury-les-Aubrais, a small town in central France, far from the traditional rugby heartlands.
But soon after, she obtained a dual registration in Orléans, just a few kilometres from her home— one for girls and another for boys— allowing her to maximise her playing time. That's where she truly discovered her favourite sport, after initially starting with swimming.
“They are two different sports with different expectations. Swimming is very individual; you rely on yourself. I think I needed to share my experiences and feelings with other people,” she explains.
It wasn't until the age of 15 that she exclusively played for the women's team and properly began her rugby journey. She was noticed by the Stade Rennais academy.
Her performances were such that she became the youngest player promoted to the senior team in 2021. “In my last year as a junior, I had the opportunity to play a year ahead of them in the senior team,” she recalls. “But it was also a slap in the face. Maybe we were at a very good level when we were juniors, but when you get to the senior level it's like entering a different world.
"It was a big step for me when I was promoted.”
The culture of winning
And yet Jean continues to climb through the ranks. She played for the U18s and then the U20s before earning a call-up to the legendary Stade Toulousain last year after four seasons in Brittany. Initially a replacement, she quickly established herself in the core team.
“I needed to experience something different, to find a new kind of enthusiasm,” she admits. “I didn't expect to play so much because there are very talented players in my position, like Charlotte Escudero (23 years old, 20 caps) and Gaëlle Hermet (28 years old, 63 caps). I was proud to have had significant playing time at one of the top clubs in France.”
Even though Stade Toulousain failed to win the semi-finals of the Elite 1 championship this year, does this winning culture stem from the influence of Antoine Dupont among the men's team?
“It's about what we as women in rugby want,” believes Jean. “To achieve our goals and help grow women's rugby, we have to win. If we lose every weekend, nobody will want to follow us. We want to demonstrate our abilities, not just proclaim that we're at Stade Toulousain.”
Her mature approach to the game and mindset could soon pave the way to the French women's team, similar to her teammate Kelly Arbey )2 caps), who has been called up for the Women's Summer Series.
“I prefer not to speculate on that,” she answers. “I take things day by day. If I'm there in two months' time, that's great, but I try not to think too far ahead. I'm only 20. However, it's definitely a clear goal. This year, my aim was to participate in a training camp with them, and I've achieved that goal.”
Jean participated in two training camps with the national team this year in preparation for the Guinness Women's Six Nations. She is now one of the players to watch, according to her manager Caroline Suné. “If she overcomes the injury issues ... Over the last few years she's had neck problems, adductor problems, all sorts of little problems. She's a player I believe in,” confides Suné.
Jean nods with a smile: “I haven't been spoilt, but I'm getting better.”
Meanwhile, she has been named captain of the women's U20 team this year. “It's a role I'm very proud of. I had a chance to try it out when we played England in April,” she says.
“I've always had a leadership role, not as captain but in the way I speak. For me, it's just a status. It's just about managing the relationship with the referee and between the staff and the players. In the team, there are ten potential captains out of 28 girls. I don't see it as a burden. On the pitch, I know I'll be supported by vice-captain Enoé Neri, Kelly Arbey and Suliana Sivi, who are natural leaders.”
(Photo credit: France Rugby/Jérémy Babinet)
