Possible Clues:

• Stubbornness
• Ruthless stubbornness
• Your bad swimming involves constant rigidity
• Flower of the French is a bit blue and in a state that doesn't take to change
• Bullheaded refusal to change
• Refusal to give in
• Mulishness of old theologian about to leave church office
• Old boy with vigour of the French inside that stubbornness
• Mulishness