France flanker Axelle Berthoumieu admitted to biting Eire’s Aoife Wafer of their Ladies’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinal however appealed her 12-match suspension on Monday.
France captain Manaé Feleu was additionally interesting a three-game suspension which additionally threatens to rule her out of the World Cup semifinal towards England and the ultimate or bronze closing.
Berthoumieu’s admission occurred in a foul play overview listening to. The panel stated she accepted her chew was worthy of a crimson card and the off-field citing was warranted.
Alex Davidson – World Rugby/World Rugby by way of Getty Photos
No motion was taken towards her on the sector on the time.
Wafer accused Berthoumieu of biting her arm throughout France’s 18-13 win on Sunday in Exeter. The referee referred it to the Tv Match Official to overview footage.
France had been trailing 13-0 on the time of the incident, in keeping with BBC Information. Footage instantly after the incident confirmed Wafer taking a look at her arm, BBC Information reported.
World Rugby stated in a press release, “In reviewing the matter stay, the TMO was unable to find out clear and apparent foul play and didn’t get pleasure from further evidential submissions to corroborate.”
Berthoumieu was charged after the match by the citing commissioner.
For a sanction, the panel began the suspension at 18 video games and deducted six.
“Though the participant acknowledged the foul play and was remorseful, full mitigation was not given because of the seriousness of the participant’s actions, and that the participant had the chance to not proceed with the motion,” World Rugby stated.
Berthoumieu appealed towards the size of the 12-game suspension, which might rule her out of the remainder of the World Cup and stop her from taking part in to March 1.
Her enchantment will probably be heard on Tuesday.
Former England World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi informed the BBC the alleged biting was a “shame” and Berthoumieu ought to be punished if discovered responsible.
“I hate seeing that within the sport,” Alphonsi stated.
The 25-year-old Berthoumieu has 27 caps since her 2019 debut, together with all 4 of France’s matches at this World Cup, her first.
Feleu, main Les Bleues at her second World Cup, was cited for a harmful sort out that wasn’t sanctioned on the sector. At her listening to, she accepted there was foul play however did not consider it was price a citing.
However the panel discovered her responsible of head-on-head contact at pace with no mitigation.
Her enchantment will even be heard on Tuesday towards a suspension that threatens to be a serious blow to France’s title hopes.
EXETER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: France’s Axelle Berthoumieu throughout the Ladies’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Quarter Closing match between France and Eire at Sandy Park on September 14, 2025 in Exeter, England. (Picture by Rob Newell – CameraSport by way of Getty Photos) 
