The France women's national rugby union team (French: équipe de France féminine de rugby à XV) represents France in women's international rugby union. They played the first-ever women's rugby union test match against the Netherlands on 13 June 1982. They compete annually in the Women's Six Nations Championship and have placed third in seven of nine Rugby World Cup's.

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Quick Facts Union, Head coach ...

France

Union	French Rugby Federation
Head coach	Gaëlle Mignot & David Ortiz
Captain	Gaëlle Hermet
First colours Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current	3 (as of 9 January 2023)
Highest	2 (2005–2006, 2015–2016)
Lowest	6 (2008–2009)
First international
Netherlands 0–4 France  (Utrecht, Netherlands; 13 June 1982)
Biggest win
France 99–0 Japan  (Edinburgh, Scotland; 17 April 1994)
Biggest defeat
France 0–109 New Zealand  (Edmonton, Canada; 14 September 1996)
World Cup
Appearances	9 (First in 1991)
Best result	3rd place, 1991, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2017 and 2021

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Source: "Des Filles en Ovalie", Éditions Atlantica (2005), Written by Jacques Corte / Yaneth Pinilla B. Foreword by Serge Betsen.

There are records of women's rugby being played in France as early as the mid-1890s, and in the 1920s a form of the game called "barette" was very popular, with national championships. However, after the 1930s the game had all but disappeared and was not revived until 1965 when groups of students in Lyon and Toulouse decided to take part in the great charitable campaign against world hunger. Most of them had brothers and friends who played rugby, so they decided to organise a charity game at Bourg-en-Bresse.

So successful was this that a regular series of games began, with clubs being formed as students graduated, initially mainly in the south. In 1969 a national association – the ARF [Women's Rugby Association] – was formed. Despite initial opposition to the game from both the government and the FFR (who briefly banned any FFR officials from officiating at women's games) by 1976 12 clubs were taking part in national competitions.

In 1982, by which time the number of clubs had more than doubled, the ARF signed a memorandum of understanding was agreed with the FFR which finally gave their official backing – and in the same year France took part in the first ever women's rugby international.

• French squad during the 2014 Six Nations

More information Rank, Change* ...

Women's
World Rugby Rankings

• v
• t
• e

Top 20 rankings as of 29 April 2024^[8]

Rank	Change*	Team	Points
1		England	096.90
2		New Zealand	090.56
3		France	087.27
4		Canada	086.27
5		Australia	081.61
6		Scotland	075.99
7	1	Wales	074.28
8	1	Italy	074.26
9	1	Ireland	073.53
10	1	United States	072.57
11		Japan	069.38
12		South Africa	065.17
13		Spain	065.15
14		Russia	061.10
15		Samoa	059.57
16		Netherlands	058.98
17		Fiji	058.65
18		Hong Kong	058.31
19		Kazakhstan	055.97
20		Sweden	052.72
*Change from the previous week

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Note: Although the FFR list all of the following as full internationals or "test matches" in their publications (including their website), they do not award caps for all of the games. In particular, no caps have been officially awarded for appearances before 1989 (when the FFR became responsible for women's rugby), and most matches in FIRA tournaments after 2004 are uncapped. As a result, there can be a significant difference between the number of appearances players may have made for France and their official number of caps.

Overall

See also: List of France women's national rugby union team matches

(Full internationals only)
Correct as of 29 April 2023

More information Opponent, First played ...

France internationals since 1982

Opponent	First played	Games played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win rate (%)
Australia	1998	5	4	0	1	80%
Belgium	1988	1	1	0	0	100%
Canada	1996	16	9	0	7	56.25%
England	1991	54	14	0	40	25.92%
Fiji	2022	1	1	0	0	100%
Germany	1997	1	1	0	0	100%
Great Britain	1986	4	3	0	1	75%
Ireland	1994	31	27	1	3	87.09%
Italy	1985	27	22	1	4	81.48%
Japan	1991	3	3	0	0	100%
Kazakhstan	1998	3	3	0	0	100%
Netherlands	1982	12	11	0	1	91.66%
New Zealand	1996	10	4	0	6	40%
Scotland	1998	29	23	1	5	79.31%
South Africa	2009	5	4	1	0	80%
Spain	1989	19	14	0	5	73.68%
Sweden	1991	4	4	0	0	100%
United States	1996	13	10	1	2	76.92%
Wales	1994	29	25	0	4	86.20%
Total	1982	267	183	5	79	68.53%

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World Cup

Main article: France women at the Rugby World Cup

More information Rugby World Cup, Year ...

Rugby World Cup
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	D	L	PF	PA
1991	Semi-finals	*Third	3	2	0	1	99	13
1994	3rd Place Playoff	Third	5	4	0	1	240	26
1998	7th Place Playoff	8th	5	2	0	3	52	68
2002	3rd Place Playoff	Third	4	3	0	1	93	58
2006	3rd Place Playoff	Third	5	3	0	2	102	85
2010	3rd Place Playoff	4th	5	3	0	2	70	91
2014	3rd Place Playoff	Third	5	4	0	1	139	42
2017	3rd Place Playoff	Third	5	4	0	1	175	62
2021	3rd Place Playoff	Third	6	4	0	2	190	46
2025	Qualified
2029	TBD
2033
Total	9/9	3rd†	43	29	0	14	1160	491
Champion   Runner-up   Third place   Fourth place * Tied placing † Best placing Home venue

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• Rugby union in France
• France national rugby union team (men's team)