Vincent Clerc: Closing in on France's try-scoring record
France wing Vincent Clerc is closing in on France's try-scoring record but admits he is focussed solely on turning round his country's Six Nations campaign by beating England at Twickenham on Saturday.
The 31-year-old - scorer of 34 tries in his 64 tests while former Les Bleus full-back Serge Blanco scored 38 in 93 tests - is set to return to the starting line-up after missing the first two games, an away defeat to Italy and a home loss to Wales.
While France are nervously looking at the possibility of their first wooden spoon since 1999, England have two wins from two and are on course for the Grand Slam.
However, Clerc is determined to ruin England's hopes at Twickenham and set the record straight after they inflicted a painful defeat on him.
"England is a team that I have rarely beaten and I am desperate to do so," said Clerc, who has won two Grand Slams with France in 2004 and 2010.
"I am hungry for us to win the duels against them. They deprived me of appearing in the 2007 World Cup final by beating us in the semis (at the Stade de France)."
Clerc, who did end up playing in the 2011 World Cup final defeat by the All Blacks, said that his return could add some much-needed experience to a team that had seemed to lack leadership in the first two games.
"The goal for me is to bring my enthusiasm and experience to the team," he added.
"After that there are the leaders on the pitch, there doesn't have to be a cacophony of noise on the pitch. But if I feel the need to talk, to bring something up, I will do it without hesitating."
Clerc, leading try-scorer in the 2007 World Cup with five and joint-top try-scorer in the 2011 edition with England wing Chris Ashton with six, said it had not been a happy experience watching France's two previous games so far from the sidelines.
"I was a little sad, frustrated," he revealed.
"It is difficult to live that experience from the outside, to not be an actor, to be powerless.
"You see how fragile the balance and the confidence are."
Clerc, who has won three Heineken Cups and three Top 14 titles with Toulouse, said that the French must adopt a more patient and less hurried approach against England especially when they get inside their opponents' 22.
"There have been times this season that we have passed the ball wildly when we have been under pressure," he said.
"Maybe that was because we also were too eager to finish the move too quickly.
"It is imperative we find the necessary patience. In England we have to score practically every time we have a chance if we want to have a hope of winning."
As regards the try record held by Blanco, Clerc was relaxed about eventually beating it.
"This record is something for the journalists to enjoy writing about," he said.
"But if I beat it one day I will be very proud of doing so. It will give me pleasure too in my old age."
Comments
rugby_rockstar says...
Sensible post this time :)
We all have moments we want to put right I guess. its been 12 years since the 2001 lions loss but its still annoys because we were better than that wallabies side but through foul play, poor management / coaching, cheap tricks, selfish players and egotistical ghost writers we fell short. There were plenty of heroes on that tour as well who played well enough to derserve a series win, BOD, Jonny, Johnno, Scott, Daffyd and Jason to name but a few. So if Clerc's still stewing over 2007 I can see where he's coming from, lost chances and all that.
Posted 09:55 20th February 2013
melkdave says...
What i ask you has 2007 got to do with anything??Wanting revenge for something 6 yrs ago,That burning painful spark must be all just cold cinders by now,and a slam in 2010 counts for nothing i suppose What utter codswallop of a quote for a reason to want to win..That said and off my chest,wanting your team to do well,and stop rivals wining,should be ample ,for any profesional.Any team that doesnt take France seriously is going to get hammered,espically now after 2 loses against teams they where expected to beat after their aurtum performances.Dont think for one moment England will think they have an easy game this weekend,so looking forward to a cracker hopefully.
Posted 16:29 19th February 2013
pierredelot1 says...
Will France win, well frankly you might as well toss a coin. French form is all over the place. Seven Toulouse players in the squad and Toulouse are playing like a bunch of fairies at the moment. In fact so are France, but it means nothing. From Englands pooint of view they do have France at home, but this French team are not a settled unit and St Andre has been tinkering this spring in a totally irrational way. If England start as they did against Scotland and get early points then that could be it, but if the French get on the board early, we could really be in for some fun. Lets hope so. May the best team win.
Posted 10:51 19th February 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Have you noticed that France don't have any world famous rock bands? Even Germany have a couple of famous bands from the 70's and 80's and they tried to take over the world! TWICE!!!!! France? nada. zero, or to use rugby League terminology, "Nought lad. Now Oo's seen me whippet?"
With this in mind I feel France should be officially classed as "Pointless" and be fitted with boosters and shot into the sun. How are you supposed to relate to people who speak gobbledegook and can't come up with a single decent guitar riff!?!
What does everyone else think? Maybe PR can do one of their weekly surveys?
a) we should shoot France into the sun
b) they should shoot Great Britain into the sun (heehee! bet you wish you'd gone for independance sooner, eh?)
c) Why can't we all get along and have picnics, hold hands and sing happy hippy songs about love and rubbish like that? - ps anyone picking c) does run the risk of being nailed to a tree as an example to everyone else.
Posted 10:37 19th February 2013
Headhunter99 says...
Never, ever underestimate the French.... when they decide to play they will murder any international team at home or away. Just ask any New Zealander.
We will have to be on top form this weekend to beat them, I think it'll be a big upfront battle with not a lot of running rugby. There was an interesting quote in a PR article about the levels of fitness amongst the French players, any of our French brethren got a view on this.
Posted 08:59 19th February 2013