Ex-France fly-half Michalak says ending career at season’s end
Wasps take revenge, Saracens beaten again
LYON: Former France international fly-half Frederic Michalak said yesterday he would retire from rugby at the end of the season. The 35-year-old, who made 77 appearances for France and currently plays for Top 14 side Lyon, said he was no longer confident that he could withstand the rigours of top-class rugby.
“After thinking long and hard about an offer from the club (to stay), I will end my career at the end of the season,” Michalak said. “I still have that love for the game but this is a sport where you have to be at 200 percent physically. “I am 35 and it is getting more and more difficult, so I said this would be a good year to stop.” Despite his age Lyon have benefitted from Michalak accelerating their game both this season and last, with his experience and class helping them establish their Top 14 status since promotion in 2016.
Michalak began his career in 2000 at his home town club, French powerhouses Stade Toulouse where he played over 600 games over seven years and played a key part in their 2001 French championship win and two European Champions Cups triumphs in 2003 and 2005. Michalak is France’s all-time international top point scorer with 436 and he was part of four Six Nations winning teams, including three Grand Slams.
But he will be forever remembered in France for his quarter-final substitute appearance in the 2007 World Cup when he set up the winning try for Yannick Jauzion in a landmark defeat of New Zealand in Cardiff. The fly-half’s speed took him away from the All Black players in pursuit before he off-loaded to Jauzion to touch down.
France eventually lost in the semi-final to England, meaning Michalak’s ecstatic 40 yard burst and pass for the winning try against the All Blacks turned out to be the abiding moment of glory for the French.
In Paris, Elliot Daly starred as Wasps gained revenge for last week’s thrashing at La Rochelle by beating the French side 21-3 on Sunday to boost their European Champions Cup hopes, while free-falling holders Saracens were beaten by Clermont.
Wasps throttled French Top 14 leaders La Rochelle in Coventry to gain some payback for a 20-point loss last weekend. “If we can win our two games we have a chance of squeaking through as we have given ourselves a fighting chance,” said Wasps director of rugby Dai Young.
“We possibly missed out on a bonus point today as we controlled the match but not the scoreboard and didn’t turn our pressure into points, especially in the first half.” La Rochelle kicked off the game on maximum points after three consecutive bonuspoint wins.
Last week the French side produced a brilliant attacking display, but on Sunday they were pinned back by a Wasps team seeking a victory that would keep alive their hopes of advancing. England winger Daly smashed over in the corner to give Wasps the lead after 11 minutes. He converted the try and did the same after touching down again in the 47th minute.
Wasps never allowed the visitors to develop their attacking game and La Rochelle scored their first and only points when Brock James kicked a penalty on the hour mark. The hosts had the last word when replacement hooker Tom Cruse powered over after a lineout. Danny Cipriani converted but Wasps could not add a fourth try to collect a bonus point.
Despite leaving the Ricoh Arena without even a losing bonus point, La Rochelle remain top of Pool 1, two points ahead of Ulster, who crushed Harlequins on Friday, and five clear of third-place Wasps.
SARACENS LOSE AGAIN Saracens, who were hammered by 32 points at home by Clermont in a weather-delayed game on Monday, saw their poor recent form continue with an agonising 24-21 loss in the second repeat of last year’s final in less than a week. The reigning European champions have now lost seven matches in a row in all competitions. Smarting Saracens raced to a 13-0 lead with a try by Ben Spencer and a conversion and two penalties from Owen Farrell. Morgan Parra responded with six straight penalties to put the home team five points ahead, but Farrell replied with three points of his own and Alex Lozowski scored an unconverted try to put Sarries back in front.
But in a chaotic and error-filled final 15 minutes, Parra kicked two more penalties to secure the victory which lifted the French club five points clear at the head of Pool 2 and dropped Saracens to third. “We didn’t make a good start and they took us by the throat,” said Clermont coach Franck Azema.
“We didn’t panic, we came back into the game by focusing on simple things.” Ospreys backed up last weekend’s narrow win over Northampton by running in four tries to claim a 32-15 victory in Swansea to pile more misery onto the English sides.
All seven Premiership clubs were beaten last week, and Munster won 25-16 at Leicester in Sunday’s final match. The Irish outfit are now four points clear of Racing 92, who beat Castres on Saturday, at the top of Pool 4, with Leicester rooted to the foot of the table.—AFP
I am 35 and it is getting more and more difficult