3 Key Battles: England vs France - Women's Rugby World Cup warm-up match

England are set for a trip over to France, with a blockbuster clash lined up against Les Bleus in the Stade Andre et Guy Boniface, that will really test the mettle of John Mitchell's side. A tough encounter with France will ask plenty of questions about this Red Roses from a defensive stand-point, as England's only prior World Cup warm-up has so far seen them cruise to a crushing 97-7 win over Spain. The Red Roses were at their blistering best in this 15-try demolition, but will take plenty of learnings from a well-matched encounter against France.

England and France are well-versed rivals within the Women's Test match stage, and are comfortably the two more dominant sides within the Women's Six Nations. The annual tournament is more often than not decided by 'Le Crunch', with England and France often entering the final round unbeaten, with the title and Grand Slam on the line for that year's bragging rights.

France last won the Women's Six Nations in 2018, with England now enjoying seven years of consecutive silverware, despite the best efforts of Les Bleus. That 2018 triumph was actually the last time in which France defeated England, with the Red Roses enjoying a run of 15 wins on the bounce against their rivals from across the Channel. So, ahead of the next installment of this storied rivalry as the anticipation builds with the Women's Rugby World Cup fast approaching, here are the key battles to look for on Saturday.

Two of the most gifted fullbacks in the women’s game go head-to-head in what could be a decisive duel in Mont-de-Marsan. On one side, England welcome back World Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne, making her return from a hamstring injury just in time for this crucial World Cup warm-up. On the other, France field their 2025 Women's Six Nations top-scorer and in-form talisman, Morgane Bourgeois, a player who’s rediscovered both her place in the team and her love for the jersey.

For Kildunne, this match marks another chapter in an already glittering career. At just 25, she has become the heartbeat of the Red Roses’ attack, as she combines electric footwork with ruthless finishing ability and a fearless attitude that lights up every match she plays. Kildunne was the standout performer of the 2024 Women's Six Nations, finishing as the tournament’s top try-scorer having produced moments of magic such as her dazzling solo try against Wales.

For Bourgeois, 2025 has been a statement season. After missing out on France’s WXV squad last year, she fought her way back into contention through sheer persistence. That determination paid off, as Bourgeois started every game of the 2025 Six Nations at in the 15 jersey, and finished the tournament as the leading points scorer with 73, including 20 successful conversions and six penalties. Her mentality has shifted too: “Instead of carrying the weight of the world, I reminded myself of the joy that comes with wearing this shirt. That mindset really helped.”

The French No.15 has drawn early comparisons with Jessy Trémoulière, and her comfort under pressure is a key part of her game: With both women possessing elite counter-attacking instincts, aerial prowess, and the ability to decide a game in a single play, this head-to-head will be unmissable. Kildunne brings the box-office flair; Bourgeois, the unflinching game management and dead-eye boot. Whichever fullback finds more influence on Saturday may well tilt the result in their nation’s favour.

Few players in the Red Roses squad can match the spark, personality, and all-round rugby pedigree of Meg Jones. A versatile back with a larger-than-life presence, Jones is as enigmatic on the pitch as she is off it. Equally comfortable across the inside and outside centres, she blends tactical awareness with slick footwork and superb distribution – the kind of creative skillset England will be leaning on heavily in the build-up to the Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil.

Born in Wales and proudly fluent in Cymraeg, Jones moved to England at 16 to study at Hartpury College, later making her Test debut against New Zealand in 2015. Just two years later, she scored England’s opening try of the 2017 World Cup in Ireland and went on to feature in both the semi-final and final. Jones' career has also spanned the sevens circuit, as she was a non-playing reserve at Rio 2016, joined the England Sevens programme full-time in 2017, and starred for Team GB at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Jones returned to 15s after the pandemic disrupted her sevens career, quickly re-establishing herself as a creative force in the Red Roses midfield. Instrumental in England’s 2023 WXV title win and a regular during the 2024 Six Nations under John Mitchell, she now lines up in the 13 shirt for this Test, with her attacking spark and game-reading ability set to be crucial in unlocking France’s defence.

Facing her is one of the most experienced and versatile players in Les Bleues’ ranks, Marine Ménager. Best known for her prolific finishing on the wing, Ménager shifts into the midfield for this match, showcasing her adaptability and game intelligence. She has 52 caps for France, debuting in 2016, and has been a mainstay ever since. Alongside her twin sister Romane, she won the Élite 1 title with Lille MRC Villeneuvois in 2016 before moving to Montpellier in 2018.

Ménager was a standout performer at the 2021 Rugby World Cup and in 2024 was crowned International Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year for her stunning solo effort against Canada in the WXV. Now a co-captain alongside Manae Feleu, Menager brings confident leadership and composure to France’s backline. This positional switch from wing to centre is a bold move, but Ménager’s physicality, pace, and defensive reading could make her a handful for Jones. The French star has openly embraced the responsibility of leadership and sees her versatility as a strength.

With Jones’s creativity and sevens-honed instincts clashing against Ménager’s finishing power and leadership nous, this is a midfield battle that could shape the rhythm of the match. Whoever gains the upper hand will go a long way to dictating which side controls the gainline and, ultimately, whether their side comes away on the winning side of scoreboard.

It’s a clash between two of the most imposing and dynamic second rows in the women’s game, as both are still young, but already seasoned at the highest level. Morwenna Talling and Manaé Feleu may have very different rugby journeys, but the two second rows will lock horns as leaders, physical enforcers, and game-changers in their own right.

For Morwenna Talling, this fixture is another chance to underline her status as one of England’s most versatile forwards. Born and raised in Yorkshire, her rapid rugby rise took her to Loughborough Lightning while still a teenager, and in 2020 she earned her England debut against Italy at just 18. Since then, she’s collected over 20 caps, three Six Nations titles, and an unbeaten record in a Red Roses shirt.

Able to switch seamlessly between lock and the back row, Talling brings lineout expertise, carrying power, and uncompromising defence. Since joining Sale Sharks in 2023, much of her club rugby has been at the back of the scrum, where she’s even captained the side. However, in Test rugby her height, athleticism, and work rate has made her an ideal second-row partner in England’s engine room. She’s also a proud advocate for growing the game in the north: “Being born and bred in Yorkshire hits differently – I want to help the sport thrive where I grew up.”

Facing her is Manaé Feleu, one of the world’s premier locks and the heartbeat of Les Bleues. Born in Mâcon but raised on the remote Futuna Islands in French Polynesia, she first picked up a rugby ball thanks to her parents, who were the only PE teachers on the island. After three formative years at school in New Zealand, Feleu moved to France to study medicine, path in which the lock still pursues alongside her rugby career.

Feleu made her France debut in 2020 against England and has since become co-captain, leading her country through the 2024 and 2025 Six Nations. Shortlisted within the top four for the 2025 Women's Six Nations Player of the Tournament, after a campaign in which she ranked among the best forwards for offloads, turnovers, dominant tackles, and carries.

In this positional battle down in the engine room, Talling’s adaptability and relentless work rate meet Feleu’s leadership, set-piece authority, and knack for momentum-shifting plays. The lock who asserts herself in the collisions and dominates the aerial battle could tilt the entire match in her side’s favour.