Pauline Bourdon Sansus Named Captain of French Women's Rugby Team for WXV 2026

Pauline Bourdon Sansus has been appointed captain of the French women's rugby team, the XV de France féminin, for the upcoming WXV tournament. This leadership change comes as regular captain Manae Feleu will be absent due to her medical studies. Coach François Ratier made the announcement as the team prepares to face top international opponents including New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

Bourdon Sansus, with 76 caps and currently in excellent form, expressed pride in her new role, saying, "Being captain of the France team is something exceptional, and it's not necessarily something I was expecting." She emphasized that while she takes on the captaincy for these matches, Feleu remains the usual captain, highlighting their complementary relationship.

The French team will compete against New Zealand four times on September 12 in Lyon, October 17 in Hamilton, October 24 in Whangerei, and October 31 in Christchurch. They will also face Australia on September 19 in Aix-en-Provence and Canada on September 26 in La Rochelle. Bourdon Sansus underlined the importance of these challenging matches as opportunities to measure the team's abilities against some of the best teams globally.

This appointment marks a significant moment for the French women's rugby squad as they aim to build momentum and gain vital experience in one of the sport's most competitive international arenas.