Preview French Open League – The Final : Pool C

Published on 20 april 2022

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This weekend, the French Open League will take place in Sarcelles for its final round. 18 teams divided into three pools will battle to win this first edition of the French Open League.

Hope :

One of the outsiders of this competition. 4th in D1 and qualified in the same place in La Rochelle, the Paris team could be one of the underdogs in this final. Sabrina Le Naour’s teammates will have to do without Astrid Monteau and Pauline Ferrari from the team that qualified in stage 2. They will be replaced by Natacha Massip and Camille Della Monica. Despite these absences, it is a more than solid team that will present itself for this final.

Le Chesnay :

First qualified following their victory at the Puy-en-Velay stage, winner in La Rochelle and third in D1, Le Chesnay team has to deal with a lot of absences. Only three players who qualified at the Puy stage will be present this weekend. Nathalie Mathieu, Diane Meschini and Cécile Virgitti. Clémence Cantoni (La Rochelle), Karen Honoré (La Rochelle), Mélina Mopin (Fontenay) and Anais Preney (Le Chesnay but not present in Le Puy) will be reinforcing the team for this final. If the team will be downgraded, as it is composed of more than two non-qualified players, we will certainly have some great matches !

Rendinantes :

This tri-club proved that despite their inexperience as a team, they are very dangerous. Qualified during their only appearance in La Rochelle (3rd), the Rennaises, Nantaises and Dinannaises will be one of the big outsiders for the final victory. Still led by Aurélie Yver, Nolwenn Bourrien and Carole Gillet, the squad is similar to the one that qualified in La Rochelle. Some changes are still to be noted. Camille Coste, Mathilde Jacob and Léna Levitre-Rougeron will be missing. They will be replaced by Julia Babarit and Marilyne Harang.

Moirans :

Present at the first stage of the French Open League in Le Puy-en-Velay, Moirans quickly got its ticket for the final in Sarcelles despite a defeat in the final against Le Chesnay (4-2). In Clermont, Moirans played successfully throughout the weekend and won 6-2 against Le Puy/Thonon in the final. Moirans was quite an offensive team and will be worth watching.

For this final, Moirans will play with only six players and will arrive with a completely changed team due to several absences including Sophie Arnaud-Châtelain, who will play with the French Women’s Team in Pool B. However, the captain, Zoé Maurici, will be present as well as Amélie Blayo-Nogret and Romane Louis from Dinan.

U24 :

They have done all the league stages except Saint-Malo ! Max Habesztrau’s girls have proved that they are prepared to give it everything. For this new generation, the learning process started smoothly in the first stage with a nice third place, which unfortunately did not allow them to qualify. In La Rochelle, they finished fifth and did not shy away in a rather tough group composed of several D1 and D2 teams such as Hope, Le Chesnay, Diderot XII and La Rochelle, in addition to a French team that swept everything in its path.

In the end, it is in Clermont that the U24s get their ticket despite a third place behind Moirans, winner of the tournament and already qualified and Le Puy/Thonon (downgraded). With a squad that is used to playing together, the women’s U24s will come to Sarcelles as the underdogs and may be able to challenge teams such as Le Chesnay, Hope or Moirans.

Neuilly :

Qualified during the Clermont stage, the Neuilly women’s team proved that they deserve to be in the final. In Sarcelles, this team will have nothing to lose. The team of Alexia Gachignard will be reinforced by several players including Ondine Pellerin and Chloé Albrecht from Clamart and will be able to count on their Belgian tandem composed of two internationals with Laurie Verheyen in the centre and Florence Vellemans on the wing.

With a strengthened squad, Neuilly will be one of the teams to watch in this final and can claim the honorary places.