As Frederic Michalak kicked France on their way to an uplifting defeat of Rugby World Cup hosts England last month, it proved one of the sport’s greatest enigmas was back.
Few players have polarised both opinion and expectation more than the 32-year-old flyhalf throughout his rollercoaster career. He has transformed from teenage hope of a nation to disliked maverick playboy, since oscilating between inspirational creator and over-hyped dud at regular intervals.
The 73-times-capped playmaker has now been recast into the lead role in the Les Bleus soap opera by Philippe Saint-Andre. The initial call to bring him back into the fold after a year in the international wilderness was a surprise.
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Yet the key 17-point haul which saw him surpass Christophe Lamaison as his nation’s leading Test scorer and trademark soft hands to play in Yoann Huget during the 25-20 victory against the Red Rose evidenced why the head coach decided to invest such faith in the maddeningly-inconsistent Toulon playmaker once more.
“It is very exciting to be part of the team again,” he told Sport360. “To play in a World Cup is a dream for all players. For me, I missed the last World Cup in 2011 and I am loving being back with the team. It will probably be my last one as I am 32, so I want to enjoy this moment.
“It was a dream to return to France, but it was always in the corner of my head. When I left South Africa in 2012, Saint-Andre said I was welcome back as long as I returned to France. I was focused on it. so I wasn’t surprised to be with the team again.”
Michalak will be expected to continue metronomically kicking the goals which made him man of the match in Paris on August 22 and orchestrate the backline with finesse. Tolerance will be in short supply if he falls short.
The player, Les Bleus and Saint-Andre are walking a tight rope across the English Channel. The French public always buy into the World Cup, but their patience has been worn thin after a one-point final loss to New Zealand in the previous edition was followed by four years of Six Nations underachievement.
Fine fly-halfs such as Camille Lopez and Francois Trinh-Duc have been left at home as Les Bleus search success. Why does Michalak – now a veteran and settled family man – think he received the recall after a season of injury at ali-conquering Toulon?
‘We must ask the coach: he replied, with a self-effacing burst of laughter.
“Maybe it is my experience playing in Super Rugby with Natal Sharks [in 2008 and 2011/12] or my age. I can also play scrum-half or fly-half. It gives Saint-Andre more options.
“I have experienced big pressure at two previous World Cups in 2003 and 2007. I know what we must do and not do.”
“Mentally, we must be strong as the 2007 World Cup in France was very hard for us. It was a lot of pressure – now, it is in England and it will be more free for us.”
Revolution is around the corner in French rugby with Guy Noves – the man who gave Michalak his club debut in 2000 – set to end an illustrious 22 years in the Toulouse hot seat and succeed Saint-Andre aher the impending tournament.
Michalak denied the change would undermine the current incumbent or impinge on his chances of success.
He added: “I do not think it will have an influence.
“In 1998, the France football coach knew he was leaving after the World Cup. They had not won a lot of games and there was a lot of pointing in the media. But they won the World Cup and Aime Jacquet was a king. That is what we want.”
The draw has been kind to France. They open in Pool D on September 19 at Twickenham against an Italy side recently beaten 48-7 by Scotland. fixtures against Romania and Canada following before the last g roup game against Ireland.
Saint-Andre has never achieved victory against the double Six Nations holders, though the reward of a likely quarter-final against Argen tina awaits if this run can be snapped.
“I think we can do very well at the World Cup,” Michalak said. “The guys will feel fresh in the contact after pre-season. We can go to the semi-final or final.”
Michalak went from being one of the stars of the 2003 event to a figure of national contempt aher a disastrous semi-final loss to England on a rainy night in Sydney. converting just one of five crucial kicks against the eventual-champions. His 2007 campaign was less eventful, best remembered for the sharp break as a replacement which set up Yannick Jauzion to score the quarter-final-clinching try versus favourites New Zealand.
What does the World Cup mean to him now?
“The past is behind us,” he said “With France, if we lost in the Six Nations we do not care. It is the World Cup, the best championship to play. Everybody wants to play in it. so we want to enjoy it”
