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    Morgane Bourgeois’ Women’s Six Nations notebook: The Final Chapter

    The Sports Pulse NewsBy No Comments10 Mins Read


    The fifth week of competitors is taking its toll, and the depth of our classes is beginning to go away a mark. Fatigue is setting in arduous, our bodies are aching throughout.

    Some ladies are getting sick, and there’s a wierd ambiance throughout our high-intensity session on Tuesday. Some are throwing up, others are battling the depth on the pitch — the group is holding robust, however you possibly can really feel it’s not simply any week.

    And but, regardless of all that, one thought retains us going: Twickenham. That ultimate is all the time there, tucked away in a nook of our minds, the dream that will get us away from bed each morning. The picture of a packed stadium, our households within the stands, a title seven years later… This match, we wish it greater than something.

    For me, it may very well be my first senior ‘Le Crunch’ match. A loopy feeling of pleasure. However earlier than that, we’ve got to go and win in Italy. No slipping up. Italy is a stable workforce — they proved that towards Scotland. It’s an actual lure recreation. Enjoying away in Italy isn’t simple.

    Champions League Vibes

    The week was additionally marked by two Champions League nights. 4 large video games to observe — a pleasant change from all of the rugby. The quarter-finals sparked loads of debates. With a number of the ladies, we chatted, teased one another, argued over the matches…

    One sentence caught with me: “1 + 1 = greater than two.” It’s not only a catchy phrase; it’s a mindset. A imaginative and prescient of teamwork that’s about way more than simply the sum of people.

    It felt good to consider one thing else for a change, to take a bit break from continuous rugby. We reside and breathe rugby all week lengthy, so these chats about one other sport gave us a little bit of recent air.

    Jersey Presentation

    Colonel Nathalie Picot, commander of the Bordeaux air base, honoured us together with her presence and shared her journey. Her values actually resonated with us, even when our battles are completely different. It became an actual trade — plenty of questions, plenty of listening.

    One sentence from her speech actually caught with me: “1 + 1 = greater than two.” It’s not only a catchy phrase; it’s a mindset. A imaginative and prescient of teamwork that’s about way more than simply the sum of people.

    On the sphere, we expertise it on a regular basis: one participant can shine individually, however it’s the connections between us, the glances, the invisible efforts, that may actually change the course of a match.

    Specific journey to Italy

    To get to Parma, we took a chartered flight, the place every part was tightly scheduled. As quickly as we landed, we headed straight to the stadium for the Captain’s Run. We had been shocked to search out out we’d be operating our drills on a again subject. It was a bit uncommon, not what we’re used to. You possibly can sense the shock on everybody’s faces.

    The primary pitch was reserved for the matches the subsequent day, so we tailored.

    Happily, the kickers had been allowed a while on the primary subject. It was an important alternative for me. The session went very well — full focus, 100% success fee.

    Match day – Saturday

    Completely different ambiance. The stadium was fairly small, barely 2,000 folks. It was an actual distinction in comparison with the earlier week. It’s all the time unusual to see such a spot in growth between nations.

    However the mindset stayed the identical: do the job, push ahead, and win. It felt a bit like a semi-final towards Italy. And it was powerful. The sport was tight, tense, and you might really feel the stress all the way in which to the ultimate whistle.

    Fixture

    Womens Six Nations

    Italy Girls

    France Girls

    Even though I had a perfect Captain’s Run, with a 100% success rate in front of the posts, match day was a completely different story. One of those off days. I can’t really explain it. It’s happened to me before, and when it does, there’s not much you can do. You just have to accept the missed kicks and give everything you have elsewhere on the field.

    It was so frustrating not to reward the team’s incredible effort in the second half. I was really disappointed in myself (for missing kicks). The team showed huge character and managed to score in other ways. What a relief.

    At the final whistle, when the pressure finally lifted, it was an incredibly emotional moment for me.

    We did it. We booked our place in a final at Twickenham, even if it wasn’t easy. We still picked up the bonus point, scored 34 points in total, and that’s a great achievement.

    What a shock on the way in which again after I checked my message requests on Instagram.

    Often, they’re stuffed with sort messages of congratulations, however this time, it was the exact opposite. This time, there was a violent message stuffed with insults: “You fats w.. Go f*** your mom, b…” Wow.

    It was a hate message from a gambler who had apparently misplaced his guess “as a result of” of me.

    I assumed girls’s rugby was nonetheless shielded from that sort of factor. That our modest degree of fame didn’t entice this sort of stress but. Possibly it’s the flip aspect of rising publicity. Both means, it damage. It was disturbing to learn.

    On Instagram there was a violent message stuffed with insults: “You fats w…” Wow. It was a hate message from a gambler who had apparently misplaced his guess “as a result of” of me.

    I typically surprise if individuals who ship messages like that even realise that we’re human beings, with emotions, feelings, and flaws.

    What else are you able to do? It received’t throw me off for the week forward. I do know my strengths, my qualities, and if the workers give me the chance, I’ll be able to bounce again at Twickenham.

    Ultimate dash

    Our final week of preparation earlier than leaving for England was all about freshness and lightness. The coaching load was considerably lowered — the objective was to maintain the depth up whereas defending our our bodies, so we might arrive in the absolute best form for the large day.

    It was additionally a particular week emotionally: these final moments shared, these final meals taken collectively, made our bond even stronger and introduced a gentle, bittersweet feeling.

    For our final evenings collectively, the well-known “Lol: Final One Laughing” recreation took over within the frequent room — a bit bubble of laughter and good vibes in the course of such a particular week.

    As soon as we arrived in England, the standard Captain’s Run marked our first actual contact with the stadium. The second felt critical and every part was exactly timed. The pitch was immaculate, trying like a large billiard desk, completely tended by a dozen meticulous groundskeepers we might nonetheless see at work after we arrived.

    The kicking time was extraordinarily restricted, that means I might solely take 5 or 6 kicks. It was far lower than what I’m normally used to, however I needed to adapt — it was about high quality, not amount.

    Past the purely sporting aspect, this Captain’s Run turned out to be stuffed with emotion, particularly because of the tribute paid to Jean Abeilhou.

    There to commentate on our ultimate match on France TV, he too was residing his personal finish of an period — the shut of his profession as a sports activities journalist. His acquainted, heat voice had accompanied the rise of ladies’s rugby for a few years. Seeing him there, on the sideline, visibly emotional about turning this web page, deeply moved us.

    He’s a type of voices that carried our sport excessive and proud, lengthy earlier than it loved the highlight it has at this time. This shared second with him, stuffed with respect and gratitude, will keep etched in our recollections — similar to this very particular week, suspended between previous, current, and future.

    Crunch Day

    Arrival: it’s completely loopy, there are folks all over the place across the stadium, an enormous crowd. I catch my father’s eye — he’s virtually tearing up. A strong second.

    At first, I really feel a bit like a spectator to the entire occasion. For my first ever Le Crunch, I lastly perceive what it’s prefer to face the very best workforce on this planet for the primary 20 minutes. 31-7 after simply 23 minutes — they appeared like they had been performing a choreographed routine we simply couldn’t sustain with.

    However little by little, our satisfaction, our personalities, and our mindset kicked in. We began to combat again.

    At half time, you might really feel it in everybody’s eyes — there was actual perception. Solely ten factors behind, and every part nonetheless to play for.

    We by no means gave up. Removed from it.

    Fixture

    Womens Six Nations

    England Girls

    France Girls

    The second half is intense. We’re chasing the score, running out of steam, but we never break. Jo (Grisez’s) s try breathes new hope into the whole team, into the whole group, into our family.

    One point. We are just one point away from something incredible. In my head, I’m already imagining a penalty to win it.

    We’re ready. We believe we can do it. But time runs out, a knock on, and that’s how it ends.

    Those first 20 minutes cost us too much. The disappointment is overwhelming. So close to making it happen.

    Of course, the speeches afterward are full of encouragement. We were just one point away from toppling the world’s number one team on their own pitch, just a few months before the World Cup.





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