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Is Freddie Michalak ready for one more Top 14 season?

Does Frédéric Michalak have one more season left in him

In October 2001, an otherwise routine Top 14 match between Toulouse and Pau was notable for being debut of a young Freddie Michalak. He marked the occasion with a try.

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By the end of his first season, he had become the first-choice scrum-half for then-Toulouse coach Guy Noves. And he cemented his place in club folklore with a man-of-the-match performance in the final against Clermont, in which he landed four penalties from 50m or more.

Now, 16 years – and nearly 2,100 points in 314 club appearances and 77 international outings – later, the talk in France is all about whether a player for whom the word ‘mercurial’ could have been invented has one more season in him.

Some of his career has been good. Some of it has been bad – and some has been very definitely ugly … but there is no denying that when Freddie has been good, he has been very, very good.

Michalak, who will turn 35 on October 16, has said he will give himself until December to make his decision. “We’re going to think about it as a family,” he told France’s RMC Radio. “You have to take the time. It’s so complicated, it feels like you are able to play as long as possible, but it’s getting harder physically.”

Lyon head coach Pierre Mignoni has been careful to wrap one of his star players in cotton wool this season. Michalak regularly trades places in the starting line-up with another veteran fly-half – Lionel Beauxis – who is, ironically the player Guy Noves brought in to fill the fly-half gap when Michalak left Toulouse for the last time to join Toulon.

After three stints at Toulouse, two with Super Rugby’s Sharks and a four-season run at Toulon, this careful treatment seems to be bringing out the best in Michalak. It may not be his best start to Top 14 campaign – he would do well to top his debut campaign all those years ago – but this campaign has been pretty solid so far. He started Lyon’s last two games, both on the road, and was pivotal in guiding the side from southeast France to victory each time. And it’s clear his job-share scheme with Beauxis is doing neither of them any harm.

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Lyon, sitting pretty in second in the Top 14 heading into the first bloc of European competitions, will surely want him to stick around for another season. Whether he will remains to be seen.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 3 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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