Overview

• France edged Ireland 18-13 in Exeter to book a semi-final against England at Ashton Gate on September 20.
• World Rugby imposed a 12-match suspension on Axelle Berthoumieu for biting Ireland’s Aoife Wafer and a three-match ban on co-captain Manae Feleu for a dangerous tackle.
• Both players have appealed, with an independent panel set to deliver its decision on Tuesday.
• Unless the sanctions are overturned, the bans would sideline both players for the remainder of the World Cup, with Feleu’s penalty potentially reduced to two matches via a tackle school program.
• The quarter-final drew France’s biggest-ever TV audience for a women’s rugby match, averaging about 3.4 million viewers and peaking at 4.6 million on TF1.