Serge Betsen
Betsen in 2015
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| Full name | Serge Betsen-Tchoua | ||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname | La faucheuse, French Predator | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 March 1974 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kumba, Cameroon | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | |||||||||||||||||
| Position | Flanker | ||||||||||||||||
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| Official website | |||||||||||||||||
| http://www.sergebetsen.net | |||||||||||||||||
| Amateur clubs | |||
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| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1985–1996 | Club Sportif de Clichy | ||
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Correct as of 5 July 2014
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| Professional / senior clubs | |||
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| Years | Club / team | Apps | (points) |
| 1996–2008 2008–2012 |
Biarritz Olympique London Wasps |
172 79 |
(65) (35) |
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Correct as of 5 July 2014
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| National team(s) | |||
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| Years | Club / team | Apps | (points) |
| 1997–2007 |
 France
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63 | (45) |
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Correct as of 5 July 2014
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Serge Betsen Tchoua (born 25 March 1974) is a former French 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.
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.
Nicknamed la Faucheuse (the Grim Reaper), Betsen's finest moment came during the 2002 Six Nations Championship, in the match against England, 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.
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