Philippe Sella (born 14 February 1962, in

Tonneins Tonneins (; oc, Tonens) is a town in the Lot-et-Garonne department of south-western France. It stands above the river Garonne, between Marmande to the west and Agen to the east, and is the first major town below the confluence of the Lot and G ...

) is French former rugby union player. He started as a rugby league junior in his home town before switching to rugby union. As a former French

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

player, he held the record for most international appearances until beaten by

Jason Leonard Jason Leonard (born 14 August 1968) is an English former rugby union player. He won a then-record 114 caps for England men’s rugby team during a 14-year international career. A prop, Leonard played club rugby for Barking RFC, Saracens and H ...

. He became a member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1999, and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2008. Sella joined Saracens in 1996 from French side

Agen The commune of Agen (, ; ) is the prefecture of the Lot-et-Garonne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux. Geography The city of Agen lies in the southwestern departme ...

. He and Australian

Michael Lynagh Michael Patrick Thomas Lynagh, AM (born 25 October 1963) is an Australian former rugby union player who played mainly as a fly-half. Lynagh represented Australia from 1984 to 1995, playing at both inside centre and fly half. Lynagh was capped ...

were the catalysts for Saracens as they made the transition into the professional era, and Sella's presence helped other players make up their minds about joining the up-and-coming club. He made a then world record 111 appearances (or caps) for

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, and is one of only five players to have scored a try in every game during a Five Nations season. Sella was the linchpin in the midfield where he operated alongside stalwart

Steve Ravenscroft Stephen Charles Wood Ravenscroft (born in Bradford) is an English former rugby union footballer who played at centre for Saracens and London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain) was a rugby union club fo ...

. His experience, pace and vision helped Saracens to become a potent force in 1998 and his appetite for defence was amazing. He scored the opening try in the Tetley's Bitter Cup final in the same year, a trademark Sella finish. He showed pace, power and vision to run, swivel and crash over the line with his try then signalling the way for the floodgates to open. He retired from rugby union later that year at the age of 36 and returned to France with his family.

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* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sella, Philippe 1962 births Living people Sportspeople from Lot-et-Garonne French people of Italian descent French rugby league players French rugby union players Rugby union centres SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne players Saracens F.C. players Barbarian F.C. players World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees France international rugby union players