France hooker Agathe Gerin says she is preparing for the Women’s Rugby World Cup with “a hunger only mother wolves can measure” after the death of one child and premature birth of another in the build-up to the tournament.
The 30-year-old and her wife Adele were expecting twins this November.
But just days after Gerin made the World Cup squad on 2 August, they learned they had lost baby Aime.
On Tuesday, Gerin’s wife gave birth to the twins – Aime and Leonard – after 28 weeks of pregnancy.
France play Italy in their opening World Cup game on Saturday (20:15 BST) in Exeter.
“A few days after learning of my selection for the World Cup, we discovered that one of the twins, our Aime, had joined the clouds,” Gerin posted on social media, external.
She said it had brought them “an unspeakable pain but also a crazy hope – to raise his brother for as long as possible in utero”.
She added: “On Tuesday, August 19 2025, everything accelerated. My wife gave birth to our little angel Aime and a tiny baby whose cries burst forth like a burst of life to lift us up – Leonard.”
She said 28-week-old Leonard was “immediately given the best care”.
Gerin adds the traumatic situation is driving her desire to succeed at the tournament.
“In these intense moments, you may be wondering: how can she be 100% on the pitch? So I’ll ask you a question – who can doubt the strength of a woman who has just become a mother?” she said.
“It’s not just about playing rugby, it’s about being the most inspirational role model for our kids.”
The couple also have a daughter, Nina.
She added: “It’s about courage – courage to take on my ambitions and my work for so many years [and] courage to show them that life is a succession of trials in which you have to draw all the positives and sometimes move forward against the winds and tides.
“Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, I’m coming with a hunger that only mother wolves can measure.”
France reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup in 2022, losing narrowly to world champions New Zealand.
They will also play pool games against Brazil and South Africa.
