Coach Francois Ratier Leads Stade Bordelais to 3rd Consecutive French Elite 1 Title Along with Canadian Players Justine Pelletier, Fabiola Forteza and Sarah-Maude Lachance
It’s 3 in a row for former Canadian women’s coach Francois Ratier as Stade Bordelais won their 3rd Elite 1 title in France, the top club competition for women in France. They defeated Toulouse in the final.
“It’s a great honour to win the French championship again ! I am glad to share it with three members of the Canadian national team : Justine Pelletier, Fabiola Forteza and Sarah-Maude Lachance” was the response from Francois when we reached out to him.
Congratulations to Francois and the 3 Canadian players. Two media reports are posted below with more details on the win.
The final was unprecedented, and the result was no less. After a thrilling match, the Stade Bordelais Lionesses confirmed their dominance in French rugby by winning the French Elite 1 Women’s Championship for the third year in a row, holding off a comeback from Toulouse (32-24) on Saturday, May 31 in Clermont-Ferrand.
It was the first time since 2010 that a women’s final was played on a Top 14 pitch, just after Clermont’s victory over Stade Français . The match was broadcast on two channels at the same time, thus benefiting from unprecedented media coverage.
Having topped the regular season with 16 wins in 18 matches, including two against their opponents today, the Bordelaises gave themselves a scare but won a third consecutive title, a feat not achieved since 2019 (Montpellier between 2017 and 2019).
Perched on the shoulders of Annaëlle Deshayes, Bordeaux fly-half Carla Arbez , who was substituted mid-game, couldn’t believe it. “I arrived here four years ago, and from the start, I was given the goal of becoming French champion within three years. In the end, in four years, we won the title three times. It’s a great source of pride. It rewards all the work of the club and this group,” she smiled.
She watched the end of the seemingly endless match from the bench. While the Stade Toulousain women were only three points behind, the Toulouse team held the ball, kept it alive, and relentlessly attacked the Bordeaux line for three minutes after the buzzer. But they failed to cross the 40-meter line before Aubane Rousset intercepted the ball and finished the match with a try.
“It was so horrible. It’s the last time I’m going out before the end, that’s for sure. Because, frankly, it was awful. I’d much rather be on the pitch!” Arbez laughed.
“Yes, the interception is important because we’re only leading by three points. I didn’t think about it, I just saw that they weren’t in position, I was,” breathed winger Aubane Rousset. “We worked all season for this title, it’s the best gift we could give to the girls who are leaving at the end of the season or retiring. Three titles in a row is magical.”
Throughout the match, the Bordeaux team controlled the game, leading 17-7 at half-time before Toulouse came back in the second half.
“It took us a while to get into the game. The first thirty minutes, we were clearly a bit off-putting,” admitted Stade Toulousain scrum-half Pauline Bourdon-Sansus. “But in the end, when we really started to play, we gave them a scare. We were bringing the ball up from everywhere, we played our game.”
“And frankly, I think we made the crowd proud, our families too, even if it wasn’t the outcome we were hoping for today. But I’m proud of the group. We worked hard, we went through some tough times this season, we were able to bounce back, we came back, and we weren’t far off. A big thank you to the staff, to all the girls, and congratulations to Bordeaux who played an incredible match.”
Bordeaux and its discipline problems
The Bordeaux forwards were in the spotlight with tries from second row Madoussou Fall-Raclot on a carried ball (11th), prop Annaëlle Deshayes after a one-pass sequence (27th) and Canadian third row Fabiola Forteza (48th), who had just returned from the Pacific Four Series.
But two successive yellow cards against Bordeaux signalled Toulouse’s revolt, with three consecutive tries from their backs to come back to within three points of their opponents two minutes from the end of the match (27-24).
“In the first half, we struggled a bit to find our feet and really get our game going. I think that’s what we were lacking: we had a lot of mishaps, whether in the air or in the scrum,” admitted Stade Toulousain captain and second-row, Lou Roboam.
“But we certainly didn’t lack determination. And that’s what we have to remember today. Because with that determination, we pushed them around, we almost went for this title. The end didn’t go in our favor, but I’m still very proud of what we showed.”
“In the second half, we really managed to turn things around. So yes, they got two cards, but we kept believing, kept moving forward. And I think that comes from our mental strength, from the cohesion of the group. As I told you before, we managed to stay united, to rediscover the game we love.”
Bordeaux coach François Ratier, a former coach of the Canadian women’s team, had nevertheless warned his team with two simple instructions: move forward and be impeccable with defensive discipline. Even though they only half-fulfilled the contract in this regard, he made no secret of his satisfaction after a stifling end to the match.
“The emotion is very strong and I’m happy for my players in what was a difficult match,” he confided. “Toulouse is a strong team that plays very well with the ball. Everyone works well in this championship and the four teams in the semi-finals could all have become French champions. Circumstances meant it was for us, I’m very happy and very proud of my staff and my team. These last few minutes made me age 10, but we love these moments.”
“Being ten points behind so quickly against a team of this quality, and with a big win, is very complicated. But even with a very poor touch, and a lack of realism in the scoring areas, coming back to within three points is still a great performance. But we didn’t win (…) We have a young squad, with an average age of 23, and we’ll come back stronger,” his Toulouse counterpart, Olivier Marin, wanted to believe.
The program between now and the Women’s Rugby World Cup
With two and a half months to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, it’s now time for a rest for these two teams, which included 19 international players, almost half of the French squad.
The list of 38 players selected for the start of the training camp will be announced shortly. Starting Monday, June 23, the French team will begin their first training camp at the National Rugby Center in Marcoussis, which will run until Friday, June 27.
A second training session will follow from June 30 to July 9, before heading up to Tignes for a training camp from July 14 to 23. The players will then return to the CNR for a final training session from July 30 to August 8.
The list of 32 players selected to compete in the World Cup will be revealed shortly after. As a dress rehearsal, a test against England is scheduled for August 9 (venue to be confirmed). Les Bleues will then fly to Exeter on August 15.
from French website lebonbon.fr
This Saturday, May 31, 2025, on the lawn of Clermont-Ferrand, the Lionesses of Stade Bordelais roared once again. They secured their third consecutive title as champions of France Élite 1, after an intense and thrilling final, winning 32 to 24 against Stade Toulousain.
Bringing the Trophy Home
After the UBB were crowned champions of Europe, it’s the women’s turn to shine and bring the trophy home. For the third consecutive year, the Lionesses have been crowned champions of France, winning the final this weekend against Toulouse.
With an explosive start to the match, the Bordeaux team quickly took control: a try from Madoussou Fall-Raclot, followed by another from Annaëlle Deshayes after a well-executed maul. Morgane Bourgeois, magnificent with her kicking, widened the gap. At 17-0, the domination seemed undeniable.
The Stade Bordelais Keeps Its Throne in Women’s Elite 1
But Toulouse wasn’t done yet! A breakthrough from Pauline Barrat just before halftime, followed by a spirited comeback in the second half led by Lina Queyroi, Kelly Arbey, and Léa Murie, sprinkled a little doubt. Closing in to just three points with only a few minutes to go, the Toulouse team made Bordeaux tremble until the final whistle. It took a crucial interception from Aubane Rousset to seal the deal and free the whole club.
With this victory, the Lionesses of Stade Bordelais confirm their dominance in French women’s rugby, finishing an almost perfect season with 18 wins in 20 matches. The city of Bordeaux will pay tribute to them on Monday, June 2nd, at 7:30 PM, during a reception at the town hall. The people of Bordeaux are invited to come and cheer for their champions at place Pey Berland.
Ten Lionesses selected for the Blues
As a cherry on top, ten players from Bordeaux have been called up to the expanded squad of the French XV for the upcoming World Cup in England. Among them are: Carla, Morgane, Joanna, Agathe, Yllana, Assia, Annaëlle, Madoussou, Nassira, and Khoudeida.