France scored five tries in their 38-17 victory at the Stade Marie Marvingt in Le Mans to establish themselves as the chief rivals of defending champions England, who they meet in the final match of the Championship.
Co-coaches Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have introduced a more open, attacking style with plenty of young players given the opportunity to stake their claims for a starting position.
Flanker Hermet, who is one of the more experienced players at the ripe old age of 27, sees no reason for the team to temper their attacking ambitions, with 'dare to play' the team’s new motto.
“This has become our watchword; it comes from a moment in the group’s life,” Hermet said. "'Dare to play' is the philosophy of this French team, it’s also our cry, it suits us well.
“We like to play with our heads up, to try things, without leaving the game plan. But keeping this element of freedom so we can really play a major part in this project.
“It’s a co-construction project, we talk a lot about how we are going to play. In the end, we are the ones on the ground, so we have the right to this freedom, and we remain very active in this project.
“We have a solid forward pack, capable of playing with, and carrying, the ball. But we really enjoy it when everyone touches the ball, and we score some great tries.”
ALL-COURT GAME
Against Ireland, France’s tries came from a mixture of sources. The first came when scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus spotted a gap and dashed through. She then linked with Marine Ménager to set her running free into space, when a deft inside pass allowed the wing to race away to the line.
After half-time though the tries came from the pack. First, second row Madoussou Fall powered through the Irish defence from close range, and then hookers Agathe Sochat and Élisa Riffonneau finished off rolling mauls.
It showed the potential that Les Bleues have to play a high-tempo, interlinked style of play, and it is something they are intent on reproducing and improving when they take on Scotland at The Hive in Edinburgh in Round 2.
“We have looked back on the match and as it was the first [match] there are clearly details to correct as everything is not perfect,” Hermet said.
“The result was there, and we made as big a start as we wanted. We hadn't seen each other since WXV so, after only two weeks of work, we still have adjustments to make. But we are moving forward as we would like, and it is very positive.”
CONFIDENT SCOTS
France will face a fired-up Scottish team in Edinburgh, after they began their campaign with a 20-18 win over Wales at Cardiff Arms Park.
It means they have won seven consecutive matches for the first time in their history, stretching back to the final two matches of the 2023 Championship.
Bryan Easson’s team showed that they are also determined to play a flowing style, as they demonstrated with tries from wings Rhona Lloyd and Coreen Grant. Grant also praised the Scottish support saying that it felt like “whole clans” had travelled to the Welsh capital.
Despite the challenge ahead, Hermet is in no doubt that when the chance arises, they will have the required focus to attack out wide.
“We aren’t going to slow down, and we are going to play how we know,” Hermet said. “We can’t be tempted into attacking all the time and have to respect them, but if we have the chance to play, we will play.
“Away matches are different because at home you have your supporters who give you an extra push. We appreciate how lucky we are to be here, to play these kinds of matches.
“To motivate ourselves for away matches, we rely mainly on ourselves, we concentrate above all on our game, even if we are lucky enough to have supporters travelling abroad to support us.”
EXPERIENCED HEAD ON YOUNG SHOULDERS
Hermet is in line to win her 60th cap, having made her debut in 2016 against the USA. A year later, aged 21, she was made captain for the first time, and in 2018 led France to the Grand Slam, the last time they did so.
She plays her club rugby for Toulouse and helped them win the 2022 Elite 1 title. Away from the pitch she studied psychology and occupational therapy, and has worked in care homes, including during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While she is no longer captain, her experience in the role means she is perfectly placed to help France’s current captain, the 24-year-old Manaé Feleu.
“Manaé is a player who represents the captaincy really well,” Hermet said. “She has proven herself and shown a strong temperament and character. Everyone in the squad respects her.
“She is still learning and relies on the group. I’m delighted that it’s her and that I can line up alongside her. She's a great captain in the making and we're delighted that it's her and that we can support her in the role."
