Women's rugby entered a new era this Saturday with the first broadcast of an Elite 1 match on Canal +, historic broadcaster of the French men's championship.
Joey Carbery is about to take a penalty, in the middle of the first period of Clermont – Bordeaux-Bègles. At the same time, Bordelaises and Clermontoises arrived in the Michelin locker rooms, under the fury of a Yellow Army which had filled up on this first sunny Saturday in November. A special entry and all the more special as it was filmed by one of the twelve cameras deployed by Canal + to broadcast the Jaunards' tests but also, and above all, to make history. Because this Saturday, November 2, 2024 will go down in history as a landmark date for French women's rugby. Canal + broadcast the “revenge” of the last Elite 1 final, between ASM Romagnat and Stade Bordeaux. If the channel had already experimented with broadcasting the Top 8 at the time, in 2015, but with much less enthusiasm and a much less strategy than today.
Nine years later, Girondines and Auvergnates entered the Michelin pitch under a special guard of honor: that of the Jaunards who had just won in style against their opponents from Bordeaux. A few seconds after Baptiste Jauneau's partners welcomed their female counterparts, Bérénice Bralley kicked off this moment in history. “I tried to stay focused in my preparation but it is clear that the impact of cameras changes a lot of things. I admit having discovered the slow motion on the giant screens so I did not have the reflex to watch them for judge certain actions, but it’s a very nice event. It’s extremely positive for the players but also for future female referees, why not!” smiled Mrs. Bralley, who officiated the battle between Girondines and Auvergnates.
Sochat: “We hope to create vocations for little girls”
Because for this big meeting, the encrypted channel has risen to the occasion. With as many cameras, interviews, and resources as the rugby players, Canal + laid the first stone of a series of “double header” broadcasts (Editor's note: two same posters of Top 14 and Elite 1) for the greatest pleasure by Agathe Sochat. The Bordeaux hooker was notably filmed for her pre-match talk in the Michelin locker room. “We have the impression of having made history, yes! But I think we don't fully realize this context and the issues that this implies for women's rugby and our championship. We obviously talked of this context all week, however during the match, we totally forgot that we were being filmed (laughs) Women's rugby does not only exist through the French team, so we hope to create vocations for the little ones. girls!”
Cameras or not, the Stade Bordeaux did not flinch. On the comments of Nicolas Dupin de Beyssat by Marie-Alice Yahé, the Girondines lived up to their historic treatment by diving twice into the promised land in twelve minutes. A start as great for the Lionesses as it was “pitiful” for the Romagnatoises, as Fabrice Ribeyrolles confesses. “I dare to hope that our legs were not shaking because of this particular context” breathes the manager of ASM Romagnat. “Is our poor first half due to that? We'll see on the video. I just hope the match was shown well on television, even if I'm a little worried seeing our first half! “.
And in the end, it’s Bordeaux who wins…
Crossed from all sides by the Girondines, the Auvergnates could only note the damage inflicted by Madoussou Fall's partners before reacting for the honor at the very end of the match. “We have been looking for this visibility for so many years that we really thank Canal +! The first minutes were impressive, but then we knew how to play our rugby and beat this great Romagnat team!” admits the solid Bordeaux second line. After an almost one-sided encounter, smiles nevertheless flooded a Clermont pitch torn up by the four teams in the afternoon. When some took photos of themselves, others signed autographs and signs to their glory. “This new media coverage raises everyone’s level and that can only be beneficial for everyone!” appreciates Gaëlle Mignot, coach of the French women's XV, who came to participate in this moment of history in Auvergne.
