'I really, really adore Shaun Edwards. He was my coach at Wasps, he's phenomenal'
Serge Betsen believes ego-free Shaun Edwards and “smart tactician” Fabien Galthie can drive France to break their World Cup duck in 2023.
Former France and Wasps flanker Betsen has paid tribute to head coach Galthie and assistant Edwards for restoring Les Bleus’ trademark facets of unpredictable attack and fearsome defence.
France’s new generation of talented and committed stars, led by half-backs Antoine Dupont and Roman Ntamack, forced a second-place Six Nations finish courtesy of a fine 35-27 win over Ireland in Paris on October 31.
Now Galthie’s men will kick-start their Autumn Nations Cup campaign by hosting Fiji in Vannes on Saturday, before further clashes with Scotland and Italy.
Betsen and France lost successive World Cup semi-finals to England in 2003 and 2007, while Les Bleus lost in the final in 1987, 1999 and 2011.
France will host the 2023 World Cup amid a growing resurgence, with Betsen backing his ex-Wasps coach and former Wales defence specialist Edwards to underpin a major title challenge.
Asked if France are now well-placed to win the next World Cup, Betsen told the PA news agency: “Of course, of course, I definitely believe there is room there for this France team to win it.
“The tournament will be a great opportunity to showcase France and French rugby.
“And I remember being there in 2007, winning against the All Blacks in Cardiff, and losing against England in the semi-finals; that still hurts today.
“But then we managed to go to the final in 2011 and lost in the final against the All Blacks.
“France are one of the most successful countries in the World Cup without ever winning it.
“And I definitely believe we need to break that, we need to definitely start doing something different. And hopefully it will be this time.”
France will hope to build on their return to form in the Six Nations during the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup, to be screened on Amazon Prime Video.
Betsen will be on hand offering punditry on the streaming service, with the ex-Biarritz back-rower singing the praises of new France coach Edwards.
Former Wigan star Edwards provided the defensive bedrock to Warren Gatland’s Wales set-up after a glory-laden stint with Wasps.
The 54-year-old boasts 50 winners’ medals as both player and coach, but still sought out a new challenge, joining the French set-up in November 2019.
“I really, really adore Shaun Edwards,” said Betsen.
“He was my coach at Wasps, he’s phenomenal; his mentality to defend is so important.
“When you get coached by Shaun Edwards, defence starts to become your attack. And that mindset is so important. I’m pleased that he’s part of the staff.
“He doesn’t really have any ego. He has the pride of himself and what he wants from players.
“But he’s someone who definitely can say ‘sorry, it’s my fault, and I’m going to correct that’, and then he will already have taken that on the chin, any errors.
“That makes his management also very positive.
“He doesn’t need to talk too much. He needs some time to show you what he wants from you, two or three key points of what he wants from you. And then you have to execute it.
“He wants the players to be engaged with his message, he’s definitely a good guy, and he’s not there to talk the talk; he’s there to be effective in every single thing he wants to do, or he wants the players to do.
“I was impressed by him going to France. I was telling him about the language, about how he could get on with that. And fair play, it’s not easy to change country, culture and adapt yourself as quickly has he did.
“It’s definitely something important as a person, and it showed that he can be adaptable.”
Betsen played under Galthie’s France captaincy, admitting Les Bleus’ new boss always showed his coaching potential even in his scrum-half days.
“Fabien played four World Cups and he was always a leader, he was always looking for the detail, and to be the most effective,” said Betsen.
“He has always been a very, very smart tactician, that was always a big characteristic of his.
“As a scrum-half, a tactician, I think his desire is definitely to work hard, to be understood, and give to the players a lot of conditions and a lot of assets to play the best rugby they can play.
“Fabien Galthie was part of my generation, and Raphael Ibanez was also captain for France.
“They all know the recipe of what it takes to be a great team, and I definitely believe they will put this in place step by step to take this new generation forward.”
:: Autumn Nations Cup Rugby Union is coming to Amazon Prime Video, exclusively broadcasting 13 out of 16 matches from November 14 including the tournament finals
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
75 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments