France: Yahe upbeat despite absences

The past few months have been a difficult time for everyone involved with the women??s game in France, in arguably their most important year ever.

The careful constructed programme to build of a new team designed to take on the world at a home World Cup has been knocked off course, first by an unpopular internal reform of the club game, and more recently by a flood of injuries, illness and absences among key players in the squad.

??I came down with a virus shortly after the Autumn Internationals in November. I constantly felt very tired, always ill, and had to stop all training and playing until only about two weeks ago. However, I have now returned to training and played a good opening 40 minutes against Lille last week without any ill effects. Even so I am still not ready for international rugby ?? certainly not against England ?? but my target is to be to be fully fit in time for the final two games in March.??

Yahe is not the only player suffering at the moment in France, with a number of other high profile players missing at the moment, though there are plenty of experienced faces to step in.

Yahe listed the players out at the moment.

??Julie Billes was not selected this time as she missed training; Elodie Guiglion did attend training, but was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her leg and is now in plaster; Caroline Ladagnous damaged her heel in November, an injury that is taking a long time get better; Christelle Chobet has broken a rib; and Aurelie Bailon has been forced to retire from international rugby due to the pressures of her professional studies. The extra training and commitments were leaving her too tired to study properly, and she had to choose between her international rugby and her career."

??However, the new structure of the Top 10 gives up plenty of recovery time, and asides from Bailon,?˜I hope that all of these players will be back in time to play Scotland and Ireland.??

Despite the upheaval in the squad,?˜Yahe is still very upbeat in advance of the opening games.

??If the players respond to the challenge of playing against a team like England it can be very positive and motivating. Obviously there is a risk that a big defeat can have the opposite effect, but I am feeling positive."

??Jennifer Troncy and Yanna Rivoalen are competing for my position. Jennifer has more experience, and has been playing with the Sevens, while Yanna is younger and still learning. I have great confidence in both of them."

??For myself, I?˜am really looking forward to playing Ireland in Pau. We chose the same venue as two years ago because of the great support they gave us. It will be a very difficult game, and I am very pleased that we are meeting the champions in France. It might even be the deciding game in the Championship!??