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Betsen learning new tricks at Wasps

Monday 18th August 2008

Reunited: Serge Betsen and Raphaël Ibanez

After seventeen years at Biarritz Olympique, legendary French flank Serge Betsen has joined countryman Raphaël Ibañez at London Wasps for a final fling. His debut, however, came on home soil in a pre-season friendly in Dax.

At 34 years old, Betsen is embarking on a new adventure. At a stage in his career where many others would have hung up their boots, the 63-cap former French international has crossed the channel for two more seasons of high level rugby with the English champions alongside his former national captain, Ibañez.

So far, his adaptation to his new club and lifestyle has gone smoothly.

"To tell the truth, rugby today is all about the clubs," Betsen told French daily Sud Ouest.

"Different coaches and clubs have their own cultures, their own strategies and methods. Adaptation has more to do with moving from one club to another rather than from one country to another. The capacity for adaptation is a key part of being a player these days. For that you have to be willing to listen."

Indeed, communicating with his former international opposition in the likes of Josh Lewsey will be central to Betsen's successful integration into the Wasps setup. Born in Kumba, Cameroon, the Frenchman has been attending regular English lessons since his arrival in the land of Shakespeare.

"Language is a major factor," said Betsen, in French.

"I'm taking English lessons, it's an area where I want to progress rapidly. To tell the truth, I started classes before starting training with the Wasps.

"As far as I'm concerned undertaking these classes is part of a professional rugby player's job. As a foreigner in a new team, I really have to listen carefully to understand. I have to do everything I can to make assimilating the instructions easier. Communication is fundamental.

"This has been a good experience for me, generally speaking I mean. I think back to when we had foreigners arriving at Biarritz. Now it's my turn to see what a difference it makes to have to integrate into a group. It's up to me to make the necessary effort. It's not up to the group to adapt to me.

"I'm not going to ask them to speak French. That said, my colleagues are helping me integrate and assimilate things."

Of course, the proof is in the pudding and Wasps fans will anxiously wait to see how Betsen links up with his new team-mates. The first test came on as-near-to-home soil as one could want - just 40km from Biarritz against a Dax team coached by Thomas Lièvremont, Christophe Milhères and Laurent Mazas, three of Betsen's former team-mates at Biarritz.

"[In pre-season games] we discover each other as partners, they reveal the truth, the way only the context of a match can," said Betsen.

"We learn about each other in training, but it's on the field that we get a different perspective on the group. There are a lot of new players debuting this season. It's interesting, we have laid a platform of work and we've got some common references, a few markers.

"But it's only in a match that we can test ourselves and we'll learn more."

In a strong defensive performance, Wasps went on to secure a 13-3 win over Dax at the Stade Maurice Boyau in their first pre-season clash.