Serge Blanco facts for kids
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 31 August 1958 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Caracas, Venezuela | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | President: Biarritz Olympique Owner of Groupe Serge Blanco Partner of the Brand Serge Blanco Administration council of Biarritz Olympique |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Serge Blanco (born 31 August 1958) is a famous former rugby union player. He mostly played as a fullback for his club, Biarritz Olympique, and for the French national team. He earned 93 caps (which means he played 93 international matches). French rugby fans often called him the Pelé of Rugby, comparing him to the legendary football player.
Blanco was born in Caracas, Venezuela. His father was Venezuelan, and his mother was from the Basque region. He grew up in Biarritz, France. He played his first international match against South Africa on 8 November 1980. France lost that game 37–15.
Playing Career
Serge Blanco was a key player for France. He scored the winning try in the semi-final of the first-ever Rugby World Cup in 1987. France won that exciting match 30–24 against Australia. He also helped France win "Grand Slams" in the Five Nations Championship in 1981 and 1987. A Grand Slam means a team wins all their games in the tournament.
Blanco was the captain of the French team in the 1991 Rugby World Cup. He retired from playing after France lost to England in the quarter-finals on 19 October 1991. He played a total of 93 international matches, which was a record at the time. He still holds the record for the most tries scored for France, with 38 tries. Even with all his international success, he never won the national championship with his club, Biarritz Olympique. His last professional rugby match was the 1992 final against Toulon. In 1997, Serge Blanco was one of the first rugby players to be added to the International Rugby Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011.
Life After Playing
After he stopped playing rugby, Serge Blanco continued to be involved with his club, Biarritz Olympique. He became their president. During his time as president, his club became French champions in 2002 and 2006. He also served as the president of France's national professional rugby league, called Ligue Nationale de Rugby, until 2008. Outside of rugby, he is a successful businessman. He owns three hotels and has his own brand of sportswear and eyeglasses.
See also
In Spanish: Serge Blanco para niños
- International Rugby Hall of Fame
- IRB Hall of Fame
- List of rugby union test caps leaders
