Europe 1 17:36 p.m., March 30, 2023

Former legendary player of Biarritz Olympique and the XV of France, Serge Blanco will be Europe 1 consultant for the next Rugby World Cup which will take place in France from September 8 to October 28. He will exclusively comment on the matches of the Blues and will intervene regularly in the program "Europe 1 Sport".

On the occasion of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, organized in France from 8 September to 28 October, Europe 1 will be able to count on Serge Blanco's expertise. The former legendary player of the XV de France will be a consultant during the competition and will exclusively comment on the matches of the Blues. In parallel, he will regularly intervene in the daily show Europe 1 Sport from 20h to 23h and will be the exceptional guest of the podcast series "Les Géants" before the World Cup around Jacques Vendroux and the team of Europe 1 Studio.

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A true living legend of rugby and French sport in general, the man nicknamed "the Pelé of rugby" wore the jersey of the XV de France 93 times between 1980 and 1991 and still holds the record for the number of tries scored in blue (38). In the jersey flanked by the rooster, he won the V Nations Tournament six times, even achieving the Grand Slam in 1981 and 1987. On the continental scene, he reached the final of the Australian and New Zealand World Cup in 1987 where Les Bleus had to lose to the All Blacks.

A career as a leader after the green rectangle

A spectacular winger with technical qualities well above average, Serge Blanco spent his entire career at Biarritz Olympique. By swearing loyalty to the club of his childhood, the native of Caracas in Venezuela did not have the opportunity to build the flourishing record that some predicted. Under the red and white tunic, he had to settle for a final of the France championship in 1992 - lost to Rugby Club Toulonnais - while he was in the twilight of his career.

Once the cleats hang up, Serge Blanco marries a career of leader in the authorities of French rugby. Between 1995 and 1998 and between 2008 and 2015, he served as president of Biarritz Olympique and was also elected head of the national rugby league (LNR) between 1998 and 2008. That year, he became a member of the steering committee of the French Rugby Federation before leaving his post in January 2023 after the resignation of President Bernard Laporte, convicted of corruption. The former winger is also known for launching his own ready-to-wear brand under his name at the end of his career in 1992.