The former full back of the XV of France and Biarritz, Serge Blanco, was elected this Sunday mayor of “his” city.
Like this rugby ball which made his legend, the former back of the XV of France and Biarritz Serge Blanco multiplied the rebounds, not always crowned with success, after leaving the fields until conquering the town hall of «to» ville.
“My approach today is neither that of an isolated man, nor that of a whim or a whim. It is first of all that of a child from Biarritz”he said the day his candidacy was announced in early December. Born in 1958 in Caracas, he arrived in the opulent Basque seaside city two years later with his mother, after the death of his Venezuelan father.
Skip the ad
There he discovered rugby and a club, Olympic Biarritz… The only one of his career, with which he failed in the final of the French Championship in 1992 against Toulon (19-14 defeat), for his farewell to the field. “I have only ever worn the colors of the BO and that is my pride. I’m a one-club man.”he proclaims in + My favorable rebounds +, his autobiography published in 2019.
80s man
Unlucky at club, Serge Blanco wrote his legend in selection, through 93 caps, 18 captaincy and 38 tries, a record only surpassed by Damian Penaud (40) in November 2025.
Number 15 in the back, he electrifies the defenses with a confusing hook or a crazy run, like his try against Australia in 1987, which qualified France for the final of the very first World Cup. Pursued by four Wallabies, he dives into the corner in the 85th minute. Then celebrates, on his knees, ball above his head. “It’s not +my+ try, it’s that of a whole team”he puts things into perspective. “A try belongs to all those who touched, or not, the ball on the action.”
If the French XV was beaten in the final by New Zealand, it won six Five Nations Tournaments including two Grand Slams (in 1981 and 1987) during this 1980 decade splashed by Blanco’s talent.
A juggle with the ball (against Wales in 1989) or a solitary crossing of the field (Australia in 1990) earned him, despite himself, the nickname of “Pelé of rugby”. He left the Blues on the evening of an infuriating defeat, punctuated by blows, in the quarter-final of the 1991 World Cup against England, who had “target” to derail the XV of France.
Skip the ad
From worker to entrepreneur
He first retrained in business. After starting as a turner, fitter and fitter at Dassault, in parallel with his rugby-loving career, then joining the public relations department of the Pernod group, he took charge of a thalassotherapy center in his name in Hendaye, near Biarritz, even before hanging up his crampons.
He also created a successful clothing brand in 1993 and launched into the hotel business, with a luxury establishment not far from Biarritz airport. But the adventure ends badly. In January 2020, after several years of deficit, the Serge Blanco holding company, bringing together the hotel and thalassotherapy industries, was placed in compulsory liquidation.
Rugby is never far away. First boss of the brand new National Rugby League from 1998 to 2008, he is also president of «son» Olympic Biarritz from 1995 to 1998, then from 2008 to 2015. Vice-president of Pierre Camou at the Federation (FFR) from 2012 to 2016, he then opposed his successors Bernard Laporte, then Florian Grill.
Regularly cited in the run-up to local elections, he has, however, remained withdrawn from the political field for a long time. Until his decision to launch at the beginning of December to “give back to Biarritz the momentum it deserves”. Three months later, the test was transformed.
