Betsen makes the move to Wasps

Serge Betsen has revealed he will leave Biarritz at the end of the season to join Wasps.

Former France flanker Serge Betsen has revealed he will leave Biarritz at the end of the season to join Wasps.

Betsen confirmed he has signed a two-year deal with the London club and will bring to an end his 17-year association with Biarritz in the summer.

The 34-year-old admitted there were a number of reasons behind his decision to leave the Basque giants.

“I have been at Biarritz for 17 years,” he told French daily L'Equipe.

“I have experienced a lot of happiness there. I became a rugby player of the highest level, a father and the head of a business.

“Three years ago, I chose to extend my deal with sporting aims that have more or less been carried out, but I already had this desire to leave and discover other things.

“The Anglo-Saxon culture fascinates me. It would have perhaps been easier to sign for Toulon or someone else in France, but I wanted to take a risk and discover something different – another language, another style of rugby.

“I have signed for two years with Wasps. Their past speaks for itself.

“And then, away from the sporting side of things, there is the desire to develop my business (he owns a spa in Biarritz).

“Finally, it is an extraordinary opportunity for my family.”

Betsen, who was born in Kumba in Cameroon, quit the international scene after last year's World Cup.

He won 63 caps for France, captaining the side twice, and earned a reputation as a player with a fearsome tackle and a relentless work-rate.

He will link up with Raphael Ibanez, his former Les Bleus colleague, when he moves to Wasps.