Axelle Berthoumieu, the third row of the French XV, was suspended for 9 matches this Tuesday by the International Rugby Federation, after having bitten an Irish player during the quarter-final of the 2025 World Cup. Axelle Berthoumieu had accepted on Monday the principle of a sanction, but had appealed the duration of 12 matches mentioned then. The co-captain of the French XV, Manae Feleu, also cited for a high tackle in the final minutes of the same quarter-final on Sunday, will be suspended at least two matches and will therefore miss the end of the competition.
The commission retained as an entry point an 18-match suspension, but estimated that Berthoumieu “was entitled to a 50% reduction” of the sentence, in particular “taking into account the player’s confessions, her clean disciplinary record, her remorse and her public apologies”, made on her social networks Monday evening. Axelle Berthoumieu admitted to having bitten Irish player Aoife Wafer on the forearm during the match, during an action during a ruck.
“We were also a little shocked”
His gesture remained unnoticed during the meeting but images subsequently emerged. In a message on Instagram, the player admitted Monday evening to having “lost her cool” and presented “her sincere apologies” to Aoife Wafer, to all of Ireland but also to her partners: “I am aware that this puts an end to my World Cup”, she continues, repeating that her “gesture has nothing to do on a rugby field”.
“She is right to apologize and regret,” commented the president of the French Rugby Federation, Florian Grill, on Tuesday. “To learn that we have two girls from home who are potentially suspended today, while we are finishing the competition, it’s always complicated. We don’t wish that on anyone,” said Tuesday at a press conference, before the publication of the sanctions, the co-selector of the XV of France, Gaëlle Mignot.
“At the moment” of discovering the images, “we were also a little shocked. This is something that we do not condone at all. This kind of behavior is not acceptable on a rugby field. (…) Clearly, she had a moment where… where she lost her footing. Axelle is obviously very touched, which is normal. But the group is there to support her,” Mignot continued.
