Laure Sansus scored two tries as France underlined their title credentials with a bonus-point 40-5 victory over South Africa in the opening match of the women’s Rugby World Cup at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.
The match was the first of a triple-header at the spiritual home of New Zealand rugby, where a record crowd for a standalone women’s sporting event in the country is expected before the day is out.
Only a smattering of fans gathered in the 50,000-seat arena at the start of the first Pool C clash, but they were treated to fine early tries as France, who finished third at the past two World Cups, took a 19-0 lead after 17 minutes.
Sansus, the France scrum-half, ran through a gaping hole in the South African defence off the back of a rolling maul, centre Emilie Boulard latched onto a chip ahead from fly-half Caroline Drouin, and winger Gabrielle Vernier ran in an intercept for the third score.
South Africa, playing in their first World Cup since 2014, had some good moments in the scrum and at the maul, but it was not until 10 minutes after half-time that they got on scoreboard when winger Nomawethu Mabenge finished well in the corner.
The try charged the No. 11 ranked South Africans with confidence, and they repelled attack after attack from the French until Sansus breached their line for a second time after a quickly taken penalty in the 68th minute.
France scored again four minutes later, when No.8 Romane Menager made a break up the middle of the park and found Drouin inside her with an offload, allowing the playmaker to race away and cap her fine performance with a try.
Drouin was not finished, and her crosskick gave debutante winger Joanna Grisez the simplest of finishes for the sixth try in the final seconds.