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Top 14: Baptiste Serin, backfire on the Rade

2023-03-24T13:29:15.102Z


In great shape with RC Toulon, the scrum half (28) briefly reappeared in the France group during the Tournament. He does not hide his ambitions for the World Cup.


On February 21, the French Rugby Federation published a statement that did not go unnoticed.

Baptiste Serin is called up to the squad to face Scotland, replacing injured Nolann Le Garrec.

A small event: the 28-year-old scrum-half has not been called in blue for almost two years.

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He finally saw the French victory from the stands, in a suit and tie, and quickly returned to La Rade, dismissed by the return of Maxime Lucu.

But the native of La Teste (Gironde), who says he is “

very happy

” to have been able to find his old partners, has no illusions about his presence in the team: “

I was in the role of those who were to accompany the group.

“This flash passage will have above all had the merit of validating his excellent state of form at the time.

A leader's soul

In the Var, the former UBB seems to have finally fully found his place.

Brilliant on the pitch, influential in the locker room, he continues to perform in capital letters.

In the shock against Toulouse in mid-February at the Vélodrome, it was he who carried his team after the expulsion of captain Sergio Parisse and scored the winning try (17-6).

He too who remobilized the troops after the relapse in Clermont (36-21), calling for

a "state of emergency

" as he watched the match in front of his TV, and showed the way the following weekend by splashing the duel against Stade Français Paris with all his talent (37-9).

Read alsoGaël Fickou: “There is so much friendship between the players of the XV of France”

And here is the RCT well placed to be in the top 6 at the end of the regular phase, after having alternated for a long time between the good and the less good.

He himself has never hidden his “

jagged

” performances at the start of the season and admits having had “

an appointment which stung with the coaches

”.

From ancient history.

I feel 100% physically.

I'm more comfortable.

It is a whole.

We find a collective momentum

, confirms the person concerned in an interview with

Rugbyrama

.

The summons has done me good that you cannot imagine.

“He is not the only one to think so: Franck Azéma, one of his two coaches with Pierre Mignoni, believes that his freelance in blue allowed him “to store up

confidence

”.

Two years away from the Blues

Against Lyon this Saturday (5 p.m.) and for the rest of the season, Baptiste Serin is a trump card.

He could finally play the final stages with Toulon, after a promising first exercise in the Var but interrupted by the pandemic, then two mixed seasons.

Landed in 2019 from Bordeaux-Bègles to take a step forward, he ultimately only had two Challenge Cup finals to eat.

And above all ended up losing his place in the France group.

Read alsoSix nations: Flament, Sexton, Fickou … Le Figaro unveils its XV type of the Tournament

Serin, however, participates in the first matches of the XV of France version Fabien Galthié, second in the hierarchy of numbers 9. Difficult to do better when the best player in the world, Antoine Dupont, evolves in your position.

And then, lining, it is finally his fate for a long time under the tricolor flag, behind Morgan Parra, Maxime Machenaud or even Baptiste Couilloud.

He has 42 selections all the same, until the last, on March 26, 2021 against Scotland in the Tournament.

He replaces Dupont in the 70th and takes a yellow card three minutes later, victim of an accumulation of faults on the French side.

A sad end.

But in club, he never loses the confidence of the staff and even becomes captain after the serious knee injury of Charles Ollivon in June 2021. Extended six months later until 2026, he gives it back to them today very well.

The World Cup in sight

Could a thunderous end to the season on the side of Mayol guarantee him a place in the France group for the World Cup?

Hard to say as the competition is fierce.

The Blues could benefit from his experience.

Because the kid from Bègles, once incubated by a very protective mother who screamed in the stands of Chaban-Delmas, has matured, and given way to a Top 14 taulier.

Read alsoXV of France: who will be the 42 Blues selected to prepare for the Rugby World Cup?

But with the presence of Antoine Dupont, Maxime Lucu, Nolann Le Garrec, Baptiste Couilloud or even Léo Coly, the tricolor pool at the scrum-half position is not lacking in talent.

However, Baptiste Serin wants to believe it.

It could be my last goal in the France team

, he confides to

Rugbyrama

.

It will go through the results with Toulon and I am aware of that.

One thing is certain: I will give everything and I won't give up.

»

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2023-03-24

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