Flying Frenchman aspires to more than records

With six tries to his name so far in Rugby World Cup 2011, Vincent Clerc has become the top French try scorer still playing the game and their all-time RWC leader.

Despite his elevation to the company of some of the most revered names in Les Bleus' history, the dashing wing is not letting his success go to his head. For Clerc, with France preparing for a mouth-watering semi-final against Wales at Eden Park on Saturday, the team always comes first.

When asked if his prolific scoring as part of a squad not exactly known for its consistency gave him confidence, the 30-year-old Clerc was adamant: "What gives confidence is the group's performance. Scoring a try remains nice but nothing more.

"Above all, it validates all the work laid out by the others. To aim at a personal goal would he missing the point."

Clerc's six tries not only put him alongside England's Chris Ashton as joint top try scorer at RWC 2011, they raise him to joint third (behind only New Zealand's Jonah Lomu and Doug Howlett) on the all-time Rugby World Cup list, with 11.

Way in front

Despite his innate modesty, Clerc, who has played 55 Tests for France, could not help smiling when he spoke of who broke the news to him that his 31st try in the quarter-final against England put him alongside the legendary Philippe Sella in third place on France's all-time try-scoring list.

"It's Philippe Sella who told me", he revealed, before pointing out that "the leader, Serge Blanco, with his 38 tries, is way in front."

Second in the ranking, with 32 tries, is Philippe Saint-André, who will be the next French head coach. In the event he doesn't score again at RWC 2011, does Clerc harbour any suspicions Saint-André might not select him so he can keep his number two spot in Les Bleus' try-scoring record book? "Who knows?", Clerc answered with a laugh. "Or maybe he will select me only if I promise not to score anymore."

His primary Welsh opponent on Saturday, Shane Williams, certainly does not expect Clerc to be doing anything but going full tilt for the tryline in the semi-final. Said Williams, a man who knows all about being on the wing and scoring tries: "He’s the sort of player I enjoy watching, but not playing against too much."