A Love Letter To Baptiste Serin
The young French scrum-half made his Six Nations debut this weekend, immediately reaffirming everything Lee Calvert loves about French rugby.
France have a very special relationship with their scrum-halves. The only other nation that has come close to having such a relationship was Australia in the George Gregan years, and that was mainly because Gregan was the most French of non-French number nines.
Baptiste Serin could become the most French number nine ever, full stop. He showed in the defeat to England that the future is bright for those of us who like their rugby just a little bit on the insouciant and insane side.
What is it about those Gallic scrum-halves? While every other rugby nation lets the outside half run the show, this is traditionally far too dull for France. They base their game around their scrum half. The successful periods of French rugby history are littered with these petit generals, those mercurial talents who run the show from the base of the scrum – the likes of Philippe Carbonneau, Fabien Galthie, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Freddie Michalak and Morgan Parra.
At the same time the men in the ten shirt were utterly forgettable pivots and functional goalkickers: the likes of Thierry Lacroix, Christophe Lamaison and Lionel Beauxis. Told you they were forgettable. As coach, Phillipe Saint Andre tried to mess with this system by moving Freddie Michalak to 10 with comically disastrous consequences and proved without doubt that moving the erratic genius out one channel is folly for the French.
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Baptiste Serin, the latest man to inhabit the nine shirt, is 22 years old and plays his rugby for Bordeaux-Begles, the generally characterless club that are seemingly anchored to the middle section of the Top 14 for all eternity.
The man himself could not be more unlike his club: he is arrogant, languid, forceful, stroppy, charming and perhaps most importantly, a spectacularly talented rugby player.
After captaining France U20s, he stepped up to the seniors and showed flashes of his talent in France’s tour of Argentina last summer. He cemented his brilliance with his cameo appearance vs New Zealand in November with an outrageous out-the-back pass to Louis Picamoles for his side’s only try.
At Twickenham on Saturday he trotted onto the field all youthful confidence, willowy frame and quirky haircut and set about calling the tune for the whole time he was on the field. His service was quick and crisp, even when he had to get it away ugly, including using the dive pass (remember them?).
Too many nines seem to get obsessed with form and forget their real job is to get the ball away sharply. Serin doesn’t concern himself with the former and as a result the latter part of his game was outstanding, particularly in the first half. But he is more than simply getting the ball away. He also showed a wonderful awareness of space that is increasingly rare in modern scrum halves; he worked his team around the ruck and park magnificently with a maturity beyond his six caps.
Never once did he look intimidated by the Twickenham atmosphere, and reinforced this general lack of fear and giving a shit by starting not one but two fights. Two! Both with forwards! First he took on back row Tom Wood, a large but overly coiffured man; then he squared up to Dan Cole, a prop with a face so terrifying he looks like he had a paper round in Chernobyl. This second bit of Serin-prompted aggro was the exact point I lost all logical reason in my love for him.
There is much talk this year of the French getting some more France into their game. This was evident in a losing effort vs England and Serin was at the heart of it for the fifty-odd minutes he was amongst it.
The future of rugby the French way appears safe is his young, crafty, punch-happy hands.
Comments on RugbyPass
Sorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
1 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
2 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
2 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to commentsThe All Blacks will select 5 locks this season. Scott Robertson will most likely want to select 2 veteran locks who can start right away in 2024 and 3 young promising locks who he would like to be pushing hard for selection in the starting XV in two years time- 2026. Scott Barrett is a world class lock. Who would you rather start beside him this season against England, South Africa, Ireland, and France- Sam Whitelock or Patrick Tuipulotu? I would choose Whitelock over Tuipulotu all day, every day.
10 Go to comments