One of the greatest players of all time, Serge Blanco had all the qualities that have long been associated with French rugby, from the Gallic flair and unpredictability of spirit to the passion with which he played the game.
The full back, born in the Venezuelan capital Caracas but brought up in France, was blessed with both pace and an attack-minded spirit and was renowned for his counter-attacking from deep in his own half.
Blanco, who famously smoked 60 cigarettes a day throughout his career, made his international debut for France in November 1980 against South Africa at Newlands, a game the tourists lost 37-15.
A Grand Slam winner with France in 1981 and 1987, he scored a try in the 20-20 draw with Scotland on his World Cup debut during the inaugural event, but it was in the semi-final against Australia that the full back fully hogged the limelight.
Blanco had been a major doubt for the encounter having injured his hamstring in the quarter final defeat of Fiji six days earlier, but made the starting line up and experienced both the highs and lows in the dying minutes.
The low came when his untimely decision to run from his own 22 metre area resulted in a Michael Lynagh penalty giving Australia a 24-21 lead. Didier Camberabero kicked a penalty of his own and the Concord Oval crowd were anticipating extra-time.
However the mercurial Blanco had other ideas as he received the ball 30 metres out from the Australian line. Putting his injury out of his mind he out-paced the Australian backs to touch down in the corner for the match-winning try.
Amazingly this was one of only two Rugby World Cup tries Blanco scored, although the number of tries created by his grace and poise are many.
Serge Blanco captained the French side in the 1991 Rugby World Cup before retiring after their quarter-final defeat by England with 93 wonderful caps and a French record 38 tries.