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Baptiste Serin bientôt un retour durable en Bleu ?
A 29 ans, Baptiste Serin n’en a pas fini avec le XV de France et son avenir avec la sélection de Fabien Galthié pourrait bientôt être ravivé. D’autant qu’avec son club de Toulon (pour lequel il joue depuis 2019) il est dans une bonne passe avec une deuxième place dans le Top 14 à l’issue de la 9e journée, à un point du leader Racing 92. Serin cumule 418 minutes de jeu en huit rencontres (dont cinq comme titulaire) avec 18 points marqués.
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Alors qu’il figurait dans le groupe de préparation pour la Coupe du Monde de Rugby, il n’a finalement pas fait partie du groupe des 33 éliminé en quart de finale. Mais un autre évènement pourrait changer la donne : la mobilisation du capitaine et demi de mêlée Antoine Dupont sur le projet rugby à sept en prévision des Jeux olympiques de Paris 2024.
C’est une certitude, Dupont ne participera pas au Tournoi des Six Nations 2024 étant donné qu’il devrait se trouver au même moment sur la tournée américaine – Vancouver du 23 au 25 février puis Los Angeles les 2 et 3 mars – avec l’équipe de France de rugby à sept.
« Une place se libère… »
Dans une interview à L’Equipe, Baptiste Serin dit : « Une place se libère et pas des moindres puisque c’est le capitaine. Mais je n’ai aucune prétention à dire que je mérite sa place, loin de là. J’ai envie d’être dans le groupe et j’essaie d’être le meilleur possible pour y prétendre. »
Celui qui compte déjà 44 sélections (depuis 2016) a vécu ses deux dernières en tant que remplaçant en août contre l’Ecosse (défaite 25-21) et contre les Fidji (Victoire 34-17). C’était alors la première fois qu’il rejouait depuis le Tournoi 2021 où il avait pris un carton jaune contre l’Ecosse.
Depuis 2018, il est devenu intermittent avec le XV de France, faisant à chaque fois un bout de Summer Series, un bout de Tournoi, un bout de tests d’automne. Mais plus jamais en intégralité.
« J’ai fait le deuil de ces années où j’ai couru après l’équipe de France sans avoir le maillot. Fabien (Galthié, ndlr) m’a donné l’opportunité de le reporter à deux reprises cet été. C’était un bonheur que je ne pourrais pas décrire », dit-il encore dans L’Equipe.
« Ça m’a tellement manqué pendant des années et j’ai fait tellement d’efforts pour y revenir lors de la préparation. »
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Sur ses 44 sélections, il n’a été titulaire que 15 fois, dont la dernière contre l’Italie en novembre 2020. Pragmatique, il dit : « si j’y suis tant mieux, sinon tant pis ».
Comments on RugbyPass
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
2 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
6 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
2 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
6 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
6 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
16 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
16 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to comments