Away from the glitz and glamour of the Autumn Nations Series action, French Rugby’s domestic competitions kept rolling.
At the top table of the Top 14, the big clubs kept rolling despite being short of their international stars.
Sitting atop the table, Toulouse remains the team to beat. Bordeaux-Begles is just two points behind, with La Rochelle and Toulon rounding out the top four.
French international scrumhalf Baptiste Serin, who has continued his exceptional form from the July internationals, has been key to Toulon’s strong form this season.
Taking on mid-table side Bayonne, which has been one of the Top 14’s most improved clubs over the past few years, Serin had a moment that was a throwback to old-school scrumhalf play.
Packing down for a scrum, Toulon were leading by eight points when one of the Bayonne flankers attempted to mess with Serin’s boots.
Clearly not taking any nonsense from the Bayonne player, Serin snapped back with a quick stamp back onto his hand. This moment felt more like something out of the mid-2000s, where camera angles might not have picked up on the incident.
Now a wily veteran at 30-years-old, Serin remains an intriguing prospect in French Rugby, with Antoine Dupont and Nolann le Gerrac locked in as the top two choices for the national side.
Just behind this group is a mix of Serin, Maxime Lucu and the ever-improving Baptiste Jauneau. Given France have already confirmed they will be sending a rotated squad to New Zealand next year, Serin feels like a potential captain for Les Bleus.
Peak Shithousery – Baptiste Serin
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