With France next up for Scotland, I look back on the Gallic flair which has enthralled many a rugby fan

Serge Blanco was someone who could do just about anything on a rugby pitch. Blessed with an elegant running style and an on-field mind that was inventive - and then some - he personified the champagne rugby which France became known and admired for.

He would win 93 caps, score 38 tries and become one of the fittest players during the amateur age - no mean feat when it was considered he was supposed to have puffed away on 75 Gaulloises a day.

Opposition teams must have had their nerves frayed to beyond belief just knowing that this man had the capacity to destroy you at will. In his final year (1991) of his glorious international career, he was the launch pad of what is one of the greatest tries in history when after a misplaced penalty attempt from England’s Simon Hodgkinson, he went off on a mazy run which culminated in Philippe Saint-Andre crossing the line. Even the Twickenham crowd stood to applaud - even though it would come close to nearly ruining their own grandslam triumph.

Like a kid locked in a sweetie shop I discovered that French rugby had a whole host of other treats that would produce mouth-watering rugby.

A rugby pitch is probably the last place to find a sculptor - particularly the scrum itself - but there was Jean-Pierre Rives putting his body on the line time and again displaying an enormous amount of courage which no doubt raised the belief in the likes of Blanco and Co that if their leader was putting himself on the line, the least they could do was destroy the opposing back lines when he gave them the ball.

He wasn’t too bad in the loose either. France had a set of backs deadly enough to rip apart any defence, Rives - a flanker - acting as a de facto back himself could have been seen as adding insult to injury.
Taking the mick might be something that those naughty foreign chaps might do but it sure made for entertaining viewing and no doubt inspired many kids to pick up a rugby ball and (take note England) run with it.

Philippe Sella was a centre who was once described by former French coach Jacques Fouroux as “having the strength of a bull but the touch of a piano player”. Whether it be his tackling or try-scoring, one thing was for sure, you didn’t want to be on the end of either.

Australian lock Peter Fitzsimmons will certainly not want to be reminded of when he was floored by a Sella hit in 1990 while the 1987 England team’s faces are still as red as the rose on their shirts when Sella’s wonder-try at Twickenham is recalled.

England had France under siege until Sella intercepted a mis-placed pass. However, he was still 70 yards away from the home try-line and with a number of white shirts still within tackling distance surely he couldn’t score. He did.

Twisting one way and jinking another, jaws dropped everywhere are Sella danced his way for a memorable score to send France en route to victory which contributed to winning a grandslam.

Perhaps the greatest team performance from France must surely be against New Zealand in the 1999 World Cup semi-final.

France had stuttered their way along to the semis and given the unconvincing nature of their wins so far, they were merely expected to be cannon-fodder for an All-Blacks side which had ruthlessly beaten both England and Scotland. More so after they went 24-10 up.

It was is someone in the French side had just shrugged his shoulders and said: “Stuff this. Let’s get stuck into them”, as Les Bleus racked up another 33 points compared to New Zealand’s seven. Kiwis to this day are still shell-shocked by this.

Christophe Lamaison, who had given France an early lead with his try, proceeded to have the All-Blacks dancing to his tune in the second half as his boot with 12 quick points in succession hauled France back. Christophe Domenici then crossed over with Lamaison’s defence-splitting cross-kick was gratefully plucked by Richard Dourthe for another score before Philippe Bernat-Salles finished off New Zealand with aplomb.

France sadly became too “Anglo-Saxon” under Bernard Laporte’s tenure as coach with the team in two successive World Cups forgetting what had made them feared in the first place and, more often than not, would go on to shoot themselves in the foot. The 2003 semi-final loss to England being a classic example of worrying more about the opposition instead of concentrating on what you should be doing to them.

Current boss, Marc Lievremont, himself part of that 1999 team, has hinted on occasion of a return to those champagne days - although the sooner he can finally decide on what his preferred XV is, the better.

After all, France has the talent. Yannick Jauzion, Cedric Heymans, Theirry Dusetoir and the new wonderkid from Toulouse, Maxime Medard - rumoured to be the new Blanco - are potent weapons that any team would love to have in their armoury.

With last year's campaign, Lievremont has had his folly of capping all and sundry and him naming the same 22 (albeit with a few changes to the starting XV) that lost a thrilling encounter in Dublin is a welcomed change. After all, no disgrace in losing to an Ireland side that was at times, French-esque.

Because like a resurgent Wales, northern hemisphere rugby needs a French side to win with a potent mixture of courage and flair. Because there will be many seven-year olds watching their TVs just waiting to be inspired into taking up the game.

And at least one of them will be a far better rugby player then I ever was!