France prepares to face England in โฃa โRugby World Cup semi-final with key roster adjustments announced Septemberโ 19, 2025.Teh team will challenge the world’s top-ranked sideโค with a reshaped back row and strategic changes inโข the centers and on the wing.
The โฃFrench squad faces England following a nine-match suspension forโฃ Axelle Berthoumieu after an incident involving a bite during the quarterfinalโค against Ireland. Charlotte Escudero will move from number 8 to Flanker to โcover the absence.โ Notably, Teani Feleuโ returns to the starting lineup as Third-Ligne Center, โrecovering from a sprain sustained earlier inโ the competition and having appearedโข as a substitute against Ireland โคin the 18-13 quarterfinal victory.
Further adjustments see Kelly Arbey โnamedโ to theโ bench, while Captain Marine โขhousehold will shift from her usual center position to the wing, partnering withโค Nassira Kondรฉ and Gabrielle Vernier in the center โคpairing-a strategy previously โคemployed against South Africa. Morgane Bourgeois willโ continue as the team’s rear โขrider.
On the front โline,โข pillar Bernadou is reinstated after serving a โyellow card โขsuspension for a highโ tackle โขagainst Ireland. France enters the semi-final with โขa ancient record of sixteen consecutive defeats against England, including recent losses on Febuary 9, 2025, โduring the Six Nations โฃtournament (43-42) and inโฃ a planning match on August 16, 2025 (40-6).