Serge Betsen
Encyclopedia
Serge Betsen Tchoua is a French rugby union
player who plays as a flanker
for London Wasps
at club level and formerly for internationally. He is generally considered to be one of the top flankers of the professional era (post-1995) of rugby union.
suburb of Paris.He played his first competitive rugby for the local Clichy based Club Sportif before joining the southern giants Biarritz when he was just 17. Unlike many flankers, he plays on both sides of the scrum with equal vigor. He is also regarded as one of the strongest tacklers in the game, and is renowned for his high work-rate on the field.
Betsen made his first appearance for France in 1997, as a replacement against , but did not receive his second call-up until the 2000 Six Nations Championship
. Thereafter he became a regular starter in the national team.
Nicknamed la Faucheuse (the Grim Reaper), Betsen's finest moment came during the 2002 Six Nations Championship
, in the match against , when his relentless man-marking of Jonny Wilkinson
eventually resulted in the fly-half's replacement and paved the way for a 20–15 victory. Later, England's coach, Clive Woodward
, said of Betsen: "“He is the only player that I can say was the single-handed reason we lost a match." France went on to win the Grand Slam
and Betsen was named France's International Player of the Year. He was an automatic selection for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
and scored France's only try in the semi-final loss to England.
In 2005 he was cited following an incident during Biarritz's Heineken Cup
match against London Wasps
in which Wasps centre Stuart Abbott
suffered a broken leg; the complaint was dismissed after a disciplinary hearing found that "the trip, while intentional, was not premeditated" and had happened "in the heat of the moment".
Betsen was renowned as a fearless tackler, but with increasing age he started to pick up more frequent injuries and he missed the 2005 Autumn internationals after fracturing his cheekbone in a match against Toulouse
. Despite this, he continues to be a formidable tackler: in the 2007 Six Nations Championship
, which France won, he completed 56 tackles, 12 more than any other player in the tournament.
Toward the end of the 2005 season, Betsen held talks with English
club Leicester Tigers
about a possible move from France, but in the end he decided to stay at Biarritz and signed a new three-year contract.
On 16 January 2008 Betsen announced that he was retiring from international rugby with immediate effect.
On 11 May 2008, it was revealed he was signing for London Wasps
.
Betsen made a good start with Wasps performing well and earning respect from the Wasps supporters, for the A side whilst recovering from injury, before moving into the first XV. During the 2009 6 Nations championship he was made Wasps captain in the absence of the senior England players and friend Rafa Ibanez (though retirement caused by injury). The club announced that he would share the captaincy for the remainder of the 2008/09 season with Phil Vickery
, though his performances as captain and 2 man of the match awards in quick succession, could see him keeping the role on a sole basis.
Betsen is today a member of the ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Monaco-based international organization Peace and Sport.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who plays as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
for London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
at club level and formerly for internationally. He is generally considered to be one of the top flankers of the professional era (post-1995) of rugby union.
Career
Betsen moved to France with his Mother and six siblings when he was nine settling in the ClichyClichy, Hauts-de-Seine
-Administration:The canton covers a part of the commune; the other is in the northern part of Levallois-Perret-Twinnings: Heidenheim, Germany, since 1959 Sankt Pölten, Austria, since 1968 Santo Tirso, Portugal, since 1991 Rubí, Spain, since 2005 Southwark, United Kingdom, since 2005Clichy has also...
suburb of Paris.He played his first competitive rugby for the local Clichy based Club Sportif before joining the southern giants Biarritz when he was just 17. Unlike many flankers, he plays on both sides of the scrum with equal vigor. He is also regarded as one of the strongest tacklers in the game, and is renowned for his high work-rate on the field.
Betsen made his first appearance for France in 1997, as a replacement against , but did not receive his second call-up until the 2000 Six Nations Championship
2000 Six Nations Championship
The 2000 Six Nations Championship was the first series of the Six Nations Championship, following the inclusion of Italy into the Five Nations championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the hundred-and-sixth series of the northern hemisphere...
. Thereafter he became a regular starter in the national team.
Nicknamed la Faucheuse (the Grim Reaper), Betsen's finest moment came during the 2002 Six Nations Championship
2002 Six Nations Championship
The 2002 Six Nations Championship was the third series of the Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the hundred-and-eighth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
, in the match against , when his relentless man-marking of Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
eventually resulted in the fly-half's replacement and paved the way for a 20–15 victory. Later, England's coach, Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
, said of Betsen: "“He is the only player that I can say was the single-handed reason we lost a match." France went on to win the Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
and Betsen was named France's International Player of the Year. He was an automatic selection for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
and scored France's only try in the semi-final loss to England.
In 2005 he was cited following an incident during Biarritz's Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
match against London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
in which Wasps centre Stuart Abbott
Stuart Abbott
Stuart Abbott MBE is a South African born rugby union footballer who played centre for London Wasps and England. On 24 October 2007 Abbott announced his immediate retirement due to a shoulder injury....
suffered a broken leg; the complaint was dismissed after a disciplinary hearing found that "the trip, while intentional, was not premeditated" and had happened "in the heat of the moment".
Betsen was renowned as a fearless tackler, but with increasing age he started to pick up more frequent injuries and he missed the 2005 Autumn internationals after fracturing his cheekbone in a match against Toulouse
Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
. Despite this, he continues to be a formidable tackler: in the 2007 Six Nations Championship
2007 Six Nations Championship
The 2007 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the 113th series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
, which France won, he completed 56 tackles, 12 more than any other player in the tournament.
Toward the end of the 2005 season, Betsen held talks with English
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
club Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
about a possible move from France, but in the end he decided to stay at Biarritz and signed a new three-year contract.
On 16 January 2008 Betsen announced that he was retiring from international rugby with immediate effect.
On 11 May 2008, it was revealed he was signing for London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
.
Betsen made a good start with Wasps performing well and earning respect from the Wasps supporters, for the A side whilst recovering from injury, before moving into the first XV. During the 2009 6 Nations championship he was made Wasps captain in the absence of the senior England players and friend Rafa Ibanez (though retirement caused by injury). The club announced that he would share the captaincy for the remainder of the 2008/09 season with Phil Vickery
Phil Vickery
Phil Vickery may refer to:* Phil Vickery , English rugby union footballer* Phil Vickery , celebrity chef, married to television presenter Fern Britton...
, though his performances as captain and 2 man of the match awards in quick succession, could see him keeping the role on a sole basis.
Betsen is today a member of the ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Monaco-based international organization Peace and Sport.