Despite only making his international debut last June, Baptiste Serin has quickly become France's first-choice scrum-half.
The Bordeaux-Begles star plays against Ireland for the first time this weekend in what he be his eighth appearance for France. After featuring off the bench in three Autumn internationals, Serin has started the Six Nations games against England and Italy.
Baptiste Serin sera titulaire samedi à Dublin avec le #XVdeFrance ! ☘ï¸ðŸ“https://t.co/dxUYqxiaxr #rugby #IREvFRA #IRLFRA pic.twitter.com/XRhJxDVUv2
— UBB Rugby (@UBBrugby) February 23, 2017
Ian Madigan knows more than most about 22-year-old, having joined him at Bordeaux last summer. The Ireland fly-half says Serin is "a really special player".
Speaking at an Electric Ireland event in Dublin, Madigan added that the scrum-half is "deceptively very quick." "He's got a very, very fast pass, very accurate pass".
"He gets to the breakdown really quickly", Madigan added. Saturday's game will see Serin pit his wits against Conor Murray, and both men can box kick with the best in the world.
Madigan is been impressed by Serin's awareness, claiming that the 22-year-old "loves a quick tap". Last November, New Zealand found that out to their peril.
The former Leinster fly-half added that he is regularly amazed by what Serin produces in training.
"He's got real flair. He can pull a rabbit out of his hat. He's one of those guys in training that regularly does things that has people standing still going 'that was incredible'. He's someone that Ireland will have to keep an eye on".
"He does like to weigh up his own options, as he's arriving at the breakdown. He's not the type of scrum-half that is thinking about service the whole time. He's very much a threat himself. He will be one of the threats this weekend."
Although he wont be on the pitch, Madigan knows what awaits Ireland against Serin. The team have been warned.
Ireland international and former Ireland U20s out-half, Ian Madigan announced Electric Ireland’s continued support of the Under 20’s 2017 Rugby Six Nations Home Games in Donnybrook. Electric Ireland believe in Smarter Living and for rugby fans these matches are the smarter choice to experience the Six Nations atmosphere while seeing at first hand the future stars of Irish rugby.
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