Betsen surges forward on Sunday (Getty Images).

By Alex Lowe, PA Sport, Sydney

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Just to really ruin Serge Betsen's week, the battle-scarred flanker who was in tears after France's World Cup semi-final defeat to England, will have to attend a disciplinary hearing.

Betsen was cited on Monday for allegedly kicking out at an unnamed England player during Sunday's semi-final defeat at Telstra Stadium and he faces a hearing on Wednesday which will determine whether he can play in Thursday's third-place play-off against New Zealand.

There are no specific details available. But Betsen, as is his bustling style, was heavily involved from the first whistle against England.

With only five minutes on the clock he lunged out at England centre Mike Catt, scything him down with the kind of mis-timed sliding tackle that would not look out of place in a Sunday morning pub football league.

There is no indication whether this was the incident in question. But Betsen continually pushed the boundaries at the breakdown, as any flanker of his ilk will.

He was becoming increasingly frustrated and helpless as the England pack stamped their authority on the game - allowing Jonny Wilkinson, the man he was charged with stopping, to direct proceedings.

Then came the telling hit. Wilkinson had just let fly with his left boot when he was hit low and hard - a French shoulder into prime English ribs. Wilkinson was flattened.

Reflecting on that moment, Betsen disputed whether the tackle was actually late. But he was yellow-carded nonetheless, and the consequences would be enough to drive any Frenchman to tears.

The worst feeling for Betsen was knowing that Wilkinson had won the battle, that everything he had done - and he did more than most for the French cause, including a ninth-minute try - would be in vain.

Wilkinson had just missed two in a row. But he peeled himself off the turf and slotted the penalty.

From there on, he was immaculate. It was as if Wilkinson, at his commanding best, had sucked in the opposition - almost invited a mistake and then, as Betsen conceded, stuck the knife in.

"When you are a professional player you know you have got to cut down your mistakes because when you have Wilkinson in front of you, each time he is adding more points, more points," said Betsen, who was the second Frenchman to go after Christophe Dominici's trip on Jason Robinson.

Playing a quarter of the game a man short compounded France's attempts to deal with an England side who adapted so smartly to the atrocious conditions.

"It was a turning point," conceded Betsen.

"We played 20 minutes in total with 14 men, and it is tough for the forwards to put any pressure on or keep any momentum going if you are a man short.

"I am a back-row forward and there to tackle. If I knew I was late I could have stopped myself. I felt I was in full flight - it was all in one movement. I wasn't late."

It is not unusual to see the whole-hearted Cameroon-born blindside flanker in tears. He is one of those characters on the edge of his emotions.

Betsen has a history of poor discipline - he was sin-binned within minutes of making his Test debut from the bench against Italy in 1997 - and his penalty record has cost him a place in the side.

Coach Bernard Laporte has no time for persistent offenders. In the modern game, as Wilkinson proved, they can cost you the match.

Betsen went to a psychologist in a bid to iron out his problems, but the emotions are still there - as caught on camera when singing La Marseillaise before France's quarter-final victory over Ireland.

"I don't know why. But during the anthem I see the French flag in front of me, and it starts. The camera always gets me," he said with a slightly embarrassed smile.

The cameras caught him again on Sunday, and the inquiry could rule him out of against the All Blacks.

France will already be without retiring captain Fabien Galthie, who has chosen not to play in the game, and they have a host of injury concerns.

"We won't be taking a risk with some of the players that have injuries," said team manager Joe Maso.

"Olivier Milloud is having a scan on his neck. Dominici has twisted his knee, so I think its certain he won't be playing - and Imanol Harinordoquy has got a problem with his wrist. Basically we will be looking at those injuries to see who plays on Thursday.

"Galthie has stated he won't be playing. I have great respect and admiration for Fabien as a player and as a man and I won't change his mind. That's Fabien's decision.

"He has also done it in the spirit of the team. Dimitri Yashvili has played only one game, against the United States, so he is giving him a chance to play."