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LONDON (AFP) –
Fly-half Frederic Michalak holds his head in his hands as France lost to Wales on February 9, 2013. France great Serge Betsen believes Saturday’s Six Nations match against England at Twickenham will represent the “biggest game ever” for an emerging French side.
France great Serge Betsen believes Saturday’s Six Nations match against England at Twickenham will represent the “biggest game ever” for an emerging French side.
Pre-tournament favourites France are reeling at the bottom of the table after back-to-back defeats by Italy and Wales.
It’s their worst start to a Six Nations and something they haven’t known at the beginning of a Championship season since the 1982 Five Nations.
England, by contrast, are the only team left in this edition who can complete a Grand Slam, having backed up a shock win against world champions New Zealand in December with victories over Scotland and Ireland.
“Now all our focus has to be on the one big challenge of playing England, the best team in the northern hemisphere,” Betsen told AFP on Wednesday.
France great Serge Betsen pictured on June 3, 2012. It is only two years since former flanker Betsen, capped 63 times by France during a decade of service from 1997 to 2007, completed his club career with London Wasps.
“Philippe Saint-Andre (the France coach) is right to say the team are now playing for their ‘Grand Slam’. This game is going to be the biggest game ever for this new young generation of French players.”
It is only two years since former flanker Betsen, capped 63 times by France during a decade of service from 1997 to 2007, completed his club career with London Wasps.
And the 38-year-old, who has remained in London on the coaching staff of second-tier Championship side London Scottish while working as a rugby analyst for the BBC, has been as surprised as anyone by France’s recent problems.
“It was as if they weren’t ready for the start of the Six Nations,” added Betsen, whose best Test display was arguably during France’s 2002 Grand Slam when he marked England hero Jonny Wilkinson out of a 20-15 win in Paris.
“After the loss to Italy, I thought there would be a reaction but Wales, who lost their first game against Ireland, went to Paris and played very well.”
Saint-Andre experienced both joy and heartache at Twickenham in 1991 when he capped a brilliant end-to-end move to score one of the greatest tries ever seen at the ground only for England to win 21-19.
It was a result that prompted a try being made worth five points, not four, the following season.
Scrum-half Pierre Berbizier started the move from behind his own posts, with under-rated fly-half Didier Camberabero’s kick ahead, regather and ensuing cross-kick laying the platform for dashing wing Saint-Andre’s score.
Half-backs have been an issue for France this season, with the combination of Maxime Machenaud and Frederic Michalak failing to impress.
England fly-half Owen Farrell kicks a penalty during the Six Nations victory over Ireland in Dublin on February 10, 2013. England won 12-6 and are the only team left in this edition who can complete a Grand Slam.
Michalak’s cause has not been helped by former France captain Saint-Andre deploying him at fly-half, a position occupied at club side Toulon by Wilkinson.
The Englishman is one of several foreigners wearing the No 10 shirt among France’s Top 14 clubs, although some observers believe Saint-Andre has undermined his argument about a lack of half-backs by leaving highly-regarded scrum-half Morgan Parra and Francois Trinh-Duc on the bench.
“It can be one of the problems, that many fly-halves in the Top 14 are foreigners,” said former Biarritz favourite Betsen. “But we’ve known that for a while…French rugby has to look at where it wants to go.”
In the meantime France back-rows needing a reminder of how to hunt down opposition playmakers could do worse than watch Betsen on Friday when he captains a team of French legends against their British and Irish counterparts.
Among the causes aided by this charity match will be the Serge Betsen Academy which introduces rugby to the underprivileged children in his native Cameroon and helps them both academically and medically.
The match will take place at Harlequins’ Twickenham Stoop, a short walk from London Scottish’s base at the Richmond Athletic Ground.
Saint-Andre made his name as a coach in England with Gloucester and Betsen, albeit at a lower level, is following suit at London Scottish.
“I’m loving my experience at London Scottish and I want to thank (director of rugby) Simon Amor for giving me the opportunity to start my journey as a coach.”
