Serge Betsen

Serge Betsen Tchoua (born 25 March 1974) is a French former rugby union player who played as a flanker for London Wasps and Biarritz at club level and for France internationally. He is generally considered to be one of the top flankers of the professional era (post-1995) of rugby union.

Career

Born in Kumba, Cameroon, Betsen moved to France with his mother and six siblings when he was nine, settling in the Clichy 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 Italy, but did not receive his second call-up until the 2000 Six Nations Championship. Thereafter he became a regular starter in the national team.