France announce Autumn squads

France have published three separate - but experienced - squads for their three Autumn internationals, two at home against Canada and one away in England. There are a number of changes from the summer tour and 2013 Six Nations squads, but all of the players coming in have significant international experience.

Which is not to say that any of the three teams are truly the strongest possible selection. A sevens camp, running in parallel with the Autumn series, has resulted in the partial or complete absence of several players likely to be in the running for the World Cup. Jade Le Pesq and Marjorie Mayans will miss all of the tests, while Julie Billes, Koumbia Djossouvi, Shannon Izar, and Caroline Ladagnous will only play in the first game against Canada on 2nd November.

However the one big name absence is Aurelie Bailon. The player of the series in the USA, and one of the best female kickers in world rugby, Aurelie will be essential to France's World Cup hopes... if she can avoid injury. Her absence from these squads - after she missed the first half of last season through injury - is a real concern.

It is also interesting to see several players who have been fixtures of the sevens squad being given a run with the fifteens. Christelle Le Duff, Marion Lievre and Laura Di Muzio are all being given an opportunity to see if they can translate their sevens form into the longer game.

Ladagnous' absence from the second and third tests would appear to allow the mercurial Jessy Tremouliere a chance to play in her preferred full-back position after her mixed experience as a No. 10 in the Six Nations, when Bailon was unavailable.  Sandrine Agricole will almost certainly step in at 10 in the second test against Canada, and against England, where she will share the kicking duties with Tremouliere.

Of all of the three teams, the one selected for the first test against Canada is probably the most experimental. It will be interesting to see how young partnership of Shannon Izar and Julie Billes perform on the wings, while fringe players such as Audrey Parra, Julie Duval and Lenaig Corson get possibly a final chance to make an impact. The teams for the second test and the visit to Twickenham somewhat similar and probably closer to what we will see in the Six Nations and in France's key world cup fixtures.

Marie-Alice Yahe captains again, in all three tests.

France Autumn International Squads:

v Canada (Portalier 2/11/13):Manon Andre (Blagnac St Orens); Lise Arricastre (Lons); Julie Billes (Perpignan); Christelle Chobet (Lons); Lenaïg Corson (Rennes); Laura Di Muzio (Lille); Koumiba Djossouvi (Montpellier); Julie Duval (Ovalie Caennaise); Hélène Ezanno (Lille); Laurelin Fourcade (Stade Bordelais); Lucille Godiveau (Bobigny); Laetitia Grand (Lons); Elodie Guiglion (Perpignan); Marie Charlotte Hebel (Rennes); Shanon Izar (Lille); Assa Koita (Bobigny); Caroline Ladagnous (Lons); Christelle Leduff (Perpignan); Gaëlle Mignot (Montpellier); Safi N’diaye (Montpellier); Audrey Parra (Bobigny); Sophie Pin (La Valette); Sandra Rabier (Ovalie Caennaise); Yanna Rivoalen (Lille); Laetitia Salles (La Valette); Marie Alice Yahe (Perpignan)

v Canada (Stade municipal d’Amnéville, 5/11/13):Sandrine Agricole (Rennes); Manon Andre (Blagnac St Orens); Lise Arricastre (Lons); Christelle Chobet (Lons); Laura Di Muzio (Lille); Coumba Tombe Diallo (Bobigny); Julie Duval (Ovalie Caennaise); Hélène Ezanno (Lille); Laurelin Fourcade (Stade Bordelais); Lucille Godiveau (Bobigny); Laetitia Grand (Lons); Elodie Guiglion (Perpignan); Marie Charlotte Hebel (Rennes); Christelle Leduff (Perpignan); Marion Lievre (Bobigny); Gaëlle Mignot (Montpellier); Safi N’diaye (Montpellier); Audrey Parra (Bobigny); Sophie Pin (La Valette); Elodie Portaries (Montpellier); Sandra Rabier (Ovalie Caennaise); Yanna Rivoalen (Lille); Laetitia Salles (La Valette); Jessy Tremouliere (Romagnat); Marie Alice Yahe (Perpignan)

v England (Twickenham, 9/11/13):Sandrine Agricole (Rennes); Lise Arricastre (Lons); Christelle Chobet (Lons); Lenaïg Corson (Rennes); Laura Di Muzio (Lille); Coumba Tombe Diallo (Bobigny); Hélène Ezanno (Lille); Laurelin Fourcade (Stade Bordelais); Lucille Godiveau (Bobigny); Laetitia Grand (Lons); Elodie Guiglion (Perpignan); Assa Koita (Bobigny; Christelle Leduff (Perpignan); Marion Lievre (Bobigny; Gaëlle Mignot (Montpellier); Safi N’diaye (Montpellier); Sophie Pin (La Valette); Elodie Portaries (Montpellier); Sandra Rabier (Ovalie Caennaise); Yanna Rivoalen (Lille); Laetitia Salles (La Valette); Jessy Tremouliere (Romagnat); Marie Alice Yahe (Perpignan)