Jacquet's inclusion in the line-up for the 'friendly' Crunch match between England and France this Saturday (September 7th) was somewhat unexpected from coaches Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz. Although the French XV and Sevens teams have a history of collaboration, bringing Sevens players into the French women's XV's new campaign just weeks after the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games still presented a valuable opportunity for a fresh start.
Séraphine Okemba was set to begin on the bench and transition into the back row, while Jacquet, typically a centre, was immediately given the starting role at fullback, moving Émilie Boulard to fly half. Two other Olympians, Caroline Drouin and Joanna Grisez, are also included in the extended squad, but with the upcoming Guinness Women's Six Nations in mind.
Due to their readiness, the staff could quickly integrate them into the team. “We’re fortunate to have a highly versatile backline with Émilie Boulard, Chloé Jacquet, Marine Ménager who can move to the wing, and Caroline Drouin who can play both centre and fly-half. Our goal is to develop them into a powerful force. We wanted to assess Chloé Jacquet’s capabilities, knowing that she can play centre. Everything is still evolving as we build our team, and Chloé’s integration is crucial,” says co-coach David Ortiz, who aims to keep the players continuously engaged.
And that's fortunate, as Jacquet is quick to move on and adapt, a trait that's one of the strengths of Sevens rugby.
"It was particularly important for me to experience a change of scenery and join a new team," she confides. "I'm really excited to play in this match [against England] and then move forward with the team to Canada.”
With WXV 2024 and the 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations on the horizon, the new season is set to be busy, culminating with the Rugby World Cup in England in August/September next year.
“Even before the Olympics, the World Cup was a key goal—sort of the secondary objective. Now that the Olympics are behind us, it's time to focus on the next challenge. Rejoining the team is a positive step forward for me,” she says.
Shortly after the Olympics, Jacquet took a full three-week break to recover both physically and mentally. “We then shifted focus back to XVs and eased back into it. Thankfully, we haven't lost much of our physical conditioning, which is great,” she remarked upon her arrival in England the day before the Crunch.
Just under a month ago at the Stade de France, the French women's Sevens team was defeated in the quarter-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, they bounced back the next day to secure fifth place, an improvement over their sixth-place finish in Rio 2016, but falling short of their silver medal performance in Tokyo 2020.
"It's always very tough, of course. But it was a great experience. It will always be a bitter memory, but we have to move on. Being with the team will help make that easier," she says.
With the staff, the trust is mutual. "The Olympics were just a step in their journey. They knew that after the Games, a new direction awaited them. They arrived with a strong desire to join this group and were warmly welcomed. They’ve fully committed to the goal of performing with the team," said co-selector Gaëlle Mignot ahead of the eagerly anticipated match at Gloucester's Kingsholm Stadium this weekend.
"We'll focus intensely on our game plan. Against these opponents, even the smallest mistake can be very costly and often determines the outcome. We’re also working on managing both high and low moments during the match. Improving our performance in the red zone has been a key topic of our summer discussions. We won’t have many opportunities, so we need to capitalise on them more effectively. The goal is to refine our preparation for this team.”
“We’ll be facing the best team in the world,” David Ortiz asserts. “They will challenge us significantly and will capitalise on any opportunity we give them. This isn’t merely a warm-up: It’s a chance to build on our strengths. It’s a crucial match for our preparation, even if it’s not a decisive game. It also serves as a benchmark for us to gauge our progress.”
The same applies to Chloé Jacquet. Despite her 18 caps and experience against top teams, including three matches against England with three defeats, she’s ready for a change.
“It’s time for things to shift, and we’ll do everything we can to make that happen. Playing against the best is how you improve. I hope we deliver a strong performance and secure a win—it would be great for everyone,” she says.
England v France at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester, kicks off at 14:30 BST this Saturday 7th September, and will be live on BBC One.
