15 Best French Rugby Players

French Rugby League Players. Author paddynapper. Wikimedia Commons

15 Best French Rugby Players

France has provided the rugby world with some of the most talented and record holding players. They have produced magnificent tries that very few nations can match while somehow blending outrageous flair with monstrous forwards. They are, without question, the greatest rugby nation never to have lifted the World Cup, despite reaching three finals and two semi-finals. There is a galaxy of stars to choose from, but here are my greatest French rugby players.

1. Thierry Dusautoir

Thierry Dusautoir. Author Léna. Wikimedia Commons

The Ivory Coast-born flanker is one of the best rugby players to have emerged from France, and earned 80 caps during his international career. He moved to France at the age of 10 with his family as migrants, playing judo before he took up rugby at 16.  Notably, he was also captain for a record 56 Tests, leading France to a landmark victory over the All Blacks on New Zealand soil in 2009 and to a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2010. He is remembered as one of two France captains in history to have led his country to victories over New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

At club level, Dusautoir became a French league champion with Biarritz in 2006, winning the league three more times with Toulouse in 2008, 2011 and 2012. He also led Toulouse to a European Cup title in 2010.

Perhaps the two best times of his playing career came against the All Blacks. In a 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final, the back-row scored a try and made an astonishing 38 tackles – still a Test record – as France knocked out the pre-tournament favorites 20-18 in a monumental shock. His tackle tally was two more than the entire All Blacks team combined.

His bustling style of play on the blind side enabled him to excel in the 2008 Test programme. He is also a useful line-out forward and started each of the autumn internationals against Argentina, the Pacific Islanders and Australia in the No.6 jersey.

And in 2011, Dusautoir led France as skipper as they recovered from an embarrassing pool stage defeat to Tonga to go on and reach the World Cup final, facing the All Blacks on Kiwi soil. France would lose a controversial final 8-7, with Dusautoir scoring a try and claiming the man of the match award, despite defeat.

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2.  Serge Blanco

Serge Blanco. Author Own work. Wikimedia Commons

Serge Blanco is a French rugby player who also qualifies as perhaps the best attacking fullback in the history of rugby union. Between 1980 and 1991, he played 93 games for the French national team, an international rugby record at the time. Considered by many as his country’s greatest rugby footballer, Blanco was noted for his long runs from the last line of defense, quickly turning defensive play into attacking play. This may be due to the fact that he began his career as a winger, playing that position 12 times for France before switching to fullback.

Quite a decorated player, not only was Blanco inducted as an inaugural member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1997, but he was also inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011. He has been said to be one of the most skilled fullbacks in rugby history.

A one-club man, he spent his whole career with Biarritz between 1974 and 1992. A magic runner and counter-attacking player, Blanco is regularly picked in World XV’s of all time.

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3. Jean-Pierre Rives

Rives is considered a cult hero in France for his super performances and qualities over his 59 Test caps, 34 of which came as captain. A decorated player, he clinched Five Nations Grand Slams with France in 1977 and 1981, as well as a further championship title in 1983, while he also skippered the first ever France side to defeat the All Blacks.

During his career with France, Jean Pierre Rives came to epitomize the team’s spirit as a risk-taking and gloriously unpredictable outfit. A blond bombshell in the French back row, Rives overcame criticisms that he was too small to play international rugby with his ultra-committed, guts-and-glory style of play.

While his long blond mane and commitment to maintaining the French style of play made him the most recognizable figure in the French side, he also boasts of being part of one of the all-time great back rows alongside Jean-Claude Skrela and Jean-Pierre Bastiat. Playing with a freedom and vigor that is all too uncommon in the modern game, Rives appeared at times to be in several places on the field at once.

After his playing career, he became a renowned painter and artist, with his work exhibited around the globe.

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4. Fabien Pelous

Fabien Pelous. Author Guillaume Paumier. Wikimedia Commons

Fabien Pelous is a retired French rugby union footballer. A lock that also occasionally played as a number eight and flanker, he played the bulk of his professional career for Stade Toulousain, and is the all-time leader in appearances for the French national team having played for Les Bleus in 118 Tests. He was captain for 42 of those matches.

A no-nonsense, physical and tactically astute, Pelous’ career was on unmatched, as he experienced Six Nations Grand Slam successes in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2004, the latter as captain as well as a further title in 2006.

He was also the first France captain in history, and still one of just two alongside Dusautoir, to have led Les Bleus to victories over each of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

At club level, he spent 12 of his 18-year professional career with hometown club Toulouse, winning two European Cup titles in 2003 and 2005, as well as three French league titles in 1999, 2001 and 2008.

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5. Philippe Sella

Philippe Sella. Author Pierre-Olivier Carles. Wikimedia Commons

Philippe Sella is French former rugby union player. He started as a rugby league junior in his home town before switching to rugby union. As a former French rugby union player, he held the record for most international appearances until beaten by Jason Leonard. At one time he held the appearance record for France, having played 111 times for his country before retirement – and that during a time when such a tally of caps was near unheard of.

With great speed, a sublime set of handling skills and a gift for choosing the most devastating running lines, Sella was a beautiful player to watch. He was also one of the fiercest defenders in the world game, a trait seen in his devastating hit on the Australian lock Peter Fitzsimons in 1990.

During Sella’s career France won or shared six Five Nations titles. Nevertheless he was unable to add further silverware despite playing in three successive World Cups between 1987 and 1995. Sella retired following his 111th cap in the third place play-off for the 1995 tournament, a game in which he and France were able to exact some small measure of revenge over their old rivals England.

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6. Serge Betsen

Serge Betsen. Author Own work. Wikimedia Commons

Serge Betsen Tchoua 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 of rugby union.

Nicknamed la Faucheuse, translated as ‘the Grim Reaper’ and playing majorly as a back-row, Betsen was one of the toughest players to have played the sport. But for injuries due to his enormously physical style of play, Betsen would have recorded more than the 63 caps he gleaned from his decade on the Test scene.

The highlight of Betsen’s career perhaps came in 2002, when faced against a superb England side that would go on to win the World Cup a year later, he shut down Jonny Wilkinson to such an extent that the playmaker was substituted as France won 20-15.

With that, France would go on to win the Grand Slam that year, as England head coach Clive Woodward later remarked: “He is the only player that I can say was the single-handed reason we lost a match.”

In 2006 he picked up a French league title with Biarritz, before winding up his career in England with Wasps.

7. Philippe Saint-Andre

He is a former French rugby union footballer and currently the manager of Top 14 side Montpellier. He earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997. Though in most cases operated as a winger, he could also play as a center.

The French sensation won 69 caps on the wing for his country following his international debut against Romania in May 1990. He also skippered his country in almost half of his appearances, taking the arm-band on 34 occasions.

He went on to participate at the 1991 World Cup whilst playing for Montferrand, now Clermont Auvergne, as France exited the tournament at the hands of England in the quarter-finals. He made his second World Cup in 1995, this time losing out to hosts and eventual winners South Africa in the semi-finals. Saint-Andre then left Montferrand for Gloucester in 1996, after eight years with the French club, and following two years playing with the club signed on as coach.

8. Yannick Jauzion

Yannick Jauzion. Source Own work. Wikimedia Commons

He is a French former rugby union footballer. Raised in Vénès, Tarn he played at centre for Stade Toulousain and the French national team. During the 2000’s, Jauzion was regarded as one of the best centers in the world; if not the best inside centre the Northern hemisphere has seen during the pro era.

Gifted with size, pace and flair, Jauzion was a classy player who quite often proved a joy to watch over his 73 Test caps. Having broken into the France side in 2001, he missed out on their 2002 Grand Slam success, but a move to Toulouse saw him pick up the first of three European Cup triumphs in 2003, as well as seal a place to the 2003 World Cup.

Subsequently, he featured for France in the 2004 Grand Slam, 2007 championship title and 2010 Grand Slam. His two further European Cup titles arrived in 2005 where he was man of the match in the final and in 2010.

He retired having won three French league titles to sit alongside his three Heineken Cup successes.

9. Raphael Ibanez

Raphael Ibanez. Author Clément Bucco-Lechat. Wikimedia Commons

Raphaël is a retired French rugby union footballer. A hooker, he represented the French national team 98 times, and as captain 41 times. After a career in club rugby management, he became Team Manager for France in 2020.

At international level, the French revelation led his country into the 1999 World Cup as skipper, as they pulled off one of the greatest comebacks and shocks of all-time to dump out the All Blacks in the semi-finals and reach the final, where they lost to Australia.

Having been a part of France’s run to the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup, Ibanez retired before being coaxed back into the Test fold by Bernard Laporte in November 2005. After which he would go on to lead France as captain in their victorious 2007 Six Nations campaign and at the 2007 World Cup.

As well as that 2007 title, Ibanez together with other French rugby greats also achieved Grand Slam title wins with France in 1998 and 2002, as well as a further championship title in 2006.

At club level he became a European Cup winner with Wasps in 2007, as he scored one try and created another courtesy of two inventive lineout moves down the short-side. He also picked up a Premiership winners medal the following year in 2008. He announced his immediate retirement from all rugby in 2009 following a concussion and has forged a successful media career.

10. Vincent Clerc

Clerc is a former French rugby union player who played on the wing. One of the most exciting players of the modern game, Clerc and his golden boots has exited fans and dazzled defenses since his arrival on the world stage.

The prolific winger made his debut for France against South Africa in 2002 and despite being relatively small in physical stature he has since gone onto cement a reputation as one of the deadliest finishers in the game. However, the former U-21 international missed out on selection for the 2003 Rugby World Cup but he regained his place for the following year’s Six Nations and played a key role in France’s Grand Slam triumph.

France claimed the Six Nations title again in 2007 with Clerc grabbing a memorable last-gasp try in a nail-biting victory over Ireland. Later that year Clerc was able to wipe memories of previous Rugby World Cup disappointment as part of hosts’ squad for the sport’s global showpiece.

11. Justin Tipuric

He came into the French National Team as a replacement for the indomitable Alun Wyn Jone in the Six Nations. Filling the void of the great man’s presence could well be Ospreys captain Justin Tipuric.

The flanker has also played for Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions XV against South Africa, but injury cruelly ruled him out of the tour.

With 85 caps and counting, Tipuric is everything a modern flanker should be: with exquisite technique to match his relentless engine. If Wales are to repeat their 2021 Six Nations triumph, Tipuric will have to be firing on all cylinders.

12. Romain Ntamack

Coming from a prominent rugby playing family, Roman is the son of legendary French winger Émile, Romain Ntamack. This has made him to transition into international rugby with relative ease.

Viewed by his opponents as a versatile back, he played a very big role in France’s thrilling victory over New Zealand in the Autumn Nations Series and his relationship with scrum-half Antoine Dupont is arguably the best in international rugby.

As a mercurial: electric one minute, terrible the next. Ntamack is consistent and defensively solid and looks set to lead the French challenge for Six Nations 2022.

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13. Patrice Lagisguet

To many observers, the man nicknamed the Bayonne Express was the closest thing to a track sprinter ever seen on a rugby field. He won 46 caps on the wing for France and was also part of their 1987 World Cup side, playing a major part in the amazing try that sent Les Bleus through to the final. He holds the record for France for tries scored in a single match, with seven plundered against Paraguay in 1988.

14. Didier Camberabero

Didier Camberabero, is a former French international rugby union player. He played as fly half. Coming from a family of rugby greats, Didier is son of former international, Guy Camberabero, and nephew of Lilian Camberabero, two brothers who took part in the first Grand Slam won by France. His brother, Gilles, is also an outstanding rugby player. This influenced him to take up the sport.

He is ranked the third highest point scorer for the French international team, with 354 points in 36 tests match, behind Christophe Lamaison (380 pts in 37 tests) and Thierry Lacroix (367 points in 43 tests).

Interestingly, Didier also previously set a world record for the greatest number of points on only one match in team of France: 30, against Zimbabwe in 1987. This still stands as a French national record, although the world record has now been surpassed by Simon Culhane (45 points, against Japan in 1995).

He also held the world record for the number of successful drop goals in a single match, 3 in 1990 until Jannie De Beer of South Africa broke this when he kicked 5 against England in the 1999 Rugby World Cup quarter final.

The impish No. 10 was lightning fast and had the skill to manipulate the ball with his feet almost as adeptly as he could in the hand. His part in the great French try at Twickenham in 1991 was key.

15. Abdel Benazzi

Abdelatif Benazzi is a French-Moroccan rugby union player who represented both Morocco and France. He played as a lock or back row forward. Abdelatif Benazzi won 78 caps and scored nine tries for France as a lock and back-row player. He began his international career with his native Morocco but shifted allegiance to France making his debut against Australia in 1990. He played in three World Cups for France and was a member of the France squad that reached the final of the 1999 World Cup, where they lost to Australia.

Due to his hard work, he was rewarded with the Captain’s armband during the 1997 Five Nations and twice won the Grand Slam before making his final international appearance against England in April 2001. At club level he represented Agen and Saracens.

We can also not forget that he was cruelly robbed of a try in the 1995 World Cup semi-final when he appeared to have scored to knock South Africa out, only for the referee to rule he had come up short.