Michalak’s mojo key for Sharks
31 Jul 2012
RYAN VREDE writes Frederic Michalak has emerged as a central figure in the Sharks’ drive to the Super Rugby title.
The Sharks are finally starting to see an expected return on their significant investment in the 29-year-old Frenchman, who arrived in 2008 and has had a regular association with the franchise since. Some would question the accuracy of that assertion, arguing that he was instrumental in leading them to the 2008 Currie Cup title and was key in their surge to the final last year.
However, you don’t recruit a player of his calibre and standing to win domestic prizes. It should be a pleasant by-product of having his ilk at your disposal. Fundamentally, Michalak was brought in to help the Sharks end their Super Rugby drought. And now, after a series of inspiring performances since being installed at flyhalf about halfway through their campaign, he is on the cusp of doing just that.
Michalak’s aptitude for Super Rugby was displayed in 2008 before he seriously injured his knee and missed the remainder of the tournament. Certainly he was still adjusting to some of the tournament’s unique demands, particularly against elite opposition, but he always seemed comfortable fit.
Now, after being granted an extended run (somewhat fortuitously in light of an injury to Pat Lambie) Michalak is thriving. His performance against the Stormers on Saturday was composed, intelligent and near faultless in execution. This was in keeping with the expectation of a 56-Test veteran and a player who has won a French Top 14 championship and two European Cups (with Toulouse). The Sharks must hope Michalak displays those qualities in an even higher measure come Saturday.
That said, it would be remiss to ignore the correlation between his impressive form and the upswing in the forwards’ displays. Sterile and impotent for half the tournament, the heavies were then galavanised by the return from injury of Beast Mtawarira, Willem Alberts and to a lesser extent, Ryan Kankowski. Michalak has subsequently had a platform that would be the envy of all 10s.
And he has taken full advantage, orchestrating attacks with consummate skill and sharp decision making, while also giving them an unpredictable dimension with his natural flair. It is incumbent upon his forwards to best the Chiefs’ powerful pack in general and set play in order to give him a reasonable opportunity to engineer the victory they so desperately crave.
With a taxing travel schedule that has seen them clock up nearly 35000 km in the last three weeks, there are legitimate questions about their capacity to achieve this.
Sharks coach John Plumtree has spoken of his players’ deeply rooted self-belief and their refusal to allow fatigue to be used as an excuse for failure to play at their optimum level. Plumtree’s coach-speak is admirable but rests on the hope that the Sharks’ forwards in particular will have something left after their heroic performance at Newlands.
If they do, Michalak, on current form, has the potential to be the fulcrum around which a Sharks victory is built.
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174 Comments
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31 Jul 2012, 11:17 am
Been saying it all season, Michalak is seriously underrated. Been the key to the Sharks turnaround, like he was for the Currie Cup victory. Lets hope he does it again and brings another cup to Durbs
31 Jul 2012, 11:18 am
Good luck Freddie and the rest of the players.
Go Sharkies!
31 Jul 2012, 11:21 am
Biggest worry is who to play at inside centre? Bosman, Lambie or even Jordaan can play there.
Daft rule not to allow to call for back up when you have two injured players. If a team has injury they should be allowed to bring in another player. That is already signed to the union and not one from overseas or anything like that. Would love to have had Fransie for this game.
31 Jul 2012, 11:23 am
freddie is a having a purple patch but he is by no means consistent! anyone claiming freddie has been the real deal all season is lying refer to the hurricanes game for eveidence!
when he’s been good, the sharks have benefitted and they’ve equally suffered when he’s been lacklustre.
31 Jul 2012, 11:26 am
francois steyn was signed after april 1st after the french season was finished! all the teams could just as well go to europe and sign players if that is the case.
all this moaning about the rule is tiresome.
31 Jul 2012, 11:28 am
@Transformation-4: You are correct. Though we don’t have to worry much if Fred is off his game. We have Pat that could fill in straight up. However, think Freddie will have a blinder. This is his last game for Sharks and think he wants to leave on a high.
31 Jul 2012, 11:28 am
DRAGONS travel 35000km in three weeks. Tired guppies with major voyager miles.
Guppies had their final last week and will be nice cannon fodder for SBW.
31 Jul 2012, 11:30 am
@Transformation-5: No it is not tiresome. When a team gets injury in such a long tourney they should be allowed to bring in players. THAT are signed with the union. Not just bring in any player from overseas.
If Boks pick up a injury they are allowed to bring in a player for that injured player. Fair play should be allowed. Anyhow it will not happen. Daft rule still the same.
31 Jul 2012, 11:32 am
Bosman played at inside centre when Sharks played Chiefs at the Tank. We had SBW sorted in that game. We will do it again with Bosman. His defence was excellent against the Reds and he played really well on Saturday against the Stormers. Though Fransie would bring something extra. Pity.
31 Jul 2012, 11:37 am
Sadly the form flyhalf in SA is a French international. Hopefully Morne Steyn is working on regaining form. Grant has proven that he is not a player for the crunch big games.
31 Jul 2012, 11:41 am
@Puma-9: Thanks, just confirmed it for me
31 Jul 2012, 11:43 am
Transie that game against the Canes the whole Sharks team played bad… But yes when Fred is bad he is bad…
31 Jul 2012, 11:43 am
@Beast-10: I dont know. I was trying to work out who let the stormers down, think it was probably the pack as Grant had a decent game. Would still prefer him to Morne at the moment
31 Jul 2012, 11:46 am
@Bok fan-13: Sorry that and the Sharks class
31 Jul 2012, 11:50 am
@Bok fan-13: Grant never had a great game on Saturday bud.
Anyhow with the final coming up this week who would you start for the Sharks at inside centre? I think we should go with Bosman. JPP at outside and Bosman inside. Otherwise Lambie could play inside centre. Though Lambie coming back from injury and not having enough game time probably should start off the bench.
31 Jul 2012, 11:52 am
Well done to the Sormers…………Captain Sam thought that those injuries may play a part but hey no excuses anyway cracker of a game. Nice to hear Johan Sadie on his way to Bloem, very interested to see how him and mothergoose roll together. To the Sharks, epic guys and thanks for the entertainment, now go win the damn thing
. Freddy keep doing what you are doing, nothing the New Zealanders love more than getting done by Le Bleus hope you score most of the points just for the salt factor alone!!!
31 Jul 2012, 11:53 am
@Puma-3: Is that another version of the Stormers’ Exceptional Circumstances clause?
31 Jul 2012, 11:55 am
What happened to the site? Why are the Recent Comments column, Poll and pic of Nikita shoved in below? Who broke it?
31 Jul 2012, 11:56 am
@Puma-8: @Puma-8: the Stormers or any franchise could just as well have signed Sergio Parisse for remainder of Super Rugby & Currie Cup, would that be fair to teams like the Cheetahs who clearly don’t have budgets to throw around?
no, let the playing fields be even!
31 Jul 2012, 11:59 am
@>^..^< katman-17:
Something like that….hahaha. Ours seems more exceptional….. 
Not gonna happen. Just imagine if the Boks pick up serious injury and can’t replace the injured player? It never happens there why not here? Injured players should be able to be replaced. Get a medical certificate first. Otherwise some will cry injury for another player to come in.
Okay I have said my bit about this. We will probably start with Bosman there, but heck I would have loved to have seen the clash up with Fransie and SBW.
31 Jul 2012, 12:00 pm
oooh please let it be, a Saffa team wining in NZ with a French flyhalf scoring all the points!!!! Please god it will ease the “goldenbryce” moments!!
31 Jul 2012, 12:03 pm
C’mon Freddy get down to your French roots you know that your soul is crying out to stuff the New Zealnaders one more time in your career!!!!!!!
31 Jul 2012, 12:04 pm
@Puma-15: Ja after your comments on Bosman, the last time the Sharks played the Chiefs, I would go with him. Otherwise I really like Lambie at 12 for when hes a bit out of touch and 10 when hes on form, probably a bit wasted at 15 with his skills set.
Was just saying Grant didnt have an absolute shocker and should now be discarded form Bok contention as Beast implied
31 Jul 2012, 12:04 pm
@Transformation-19: NO Transie. I am meaning if the union has sigened the player long term. 2 or 3 years. If a player is signed for a month or so then no-way should he be allowed to play.
With players out injured it does take away something really. We have Fransie signed for 3 years, not like we pulling fast one here. We seriously have players injured in the 13 and 12 positions. Not even sure if Jordaan is over his injury. I read Greenaway said Sharks took two injured players in Lambie and Jordaan with. Because they have been signed with the union since April. They hoping both those players are okay come Saturday. Not fair to HAVE to take injured players with because those are the players that were signed back then. We honestly should be allowed to replace a injured player. Anyhow as I have said above it will not happen.
Who would you have start from our 24 players over there in the 12 position? I think Bosman must start he played there for 40min last week and the week before and actually was very good there. He also played there against the Chiefs at the Tank and we had SBW covered that time.
31 Jul 2012, 12:05 pm
@Puma-24: typo = signed
31 Jul 2012, 12:06 pm
Viva La Michalak!!!!! and I hope its forward pass style alla 2007!!! thats right baby!!!
31 Jul 2012, 12:07 pm
@Puma-9: “Bosman played at inside centre when Sharks played Chiefs at the Tank. We had SBW sorted in that game. We will do it again with Bosman.”
this is a blatant lie!
31 Jul 2012, 12:08 pm
@Bok fan-23: Grant has been really good all season just the game on Saturday he never had a really good game.
Lambie could start at 12 just think with him being out injured for such a long time he may not be match ready straight up. I would have him coming off the bench. He is a superb player and yes, I too prefer him at 10 and at 12 he is closer to the action too. Plum could play him there I will not be surprised after the surprise on Saturday with him changing the team on the last minute. A Mac move that was…….haha.
31 Jul 2012, 12:10 pm
@Transformation-27: Whay lie? What you talking about?
31 Jul 2012, 12:10 pm
Whay = what
31 Jul 2012, 12:11 pm
The key for me is the forwards… Play like you have played the last few games and Fred will dictate the backline…
31 Jul 2012, 12:12 pm
@THE MAULER-12: no! the sharks had 6)% percent possession for the 1st 20-25 min of that game and were camping in the canes 22 only for michalak to go it alone twice and be turned over! when the canes survived that onslaught, they countered and scored every time.
my point was that, people who are NOW saying “Been saying it all season, Michalak is seriously underrated” are lying!
31 Jul 2012, 12:12 pm
@Puma-20: Those are two different things. This is a tournament, not a test series. Players are drafted for the (commercial) competition. If you wanted a Parisse or a Dusetoir to play for you, then you should have offered a contract at the start, and paid a full season’s worth of money. The Boks can play whomever they choose, as long as he’s eligible for the Boks, and it makes financial and logistical sense to include him at a late stage. In both cases, the playing fields are exactly the same for all parties.
31 Jul 2012, 12:15 pm
@Puma-29: bosman did NOT play centre against the Chiefs in Durban, the starting centre partnership was TW & JPP.!
31 Jul 2012, 12:16 pm
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Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage
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C’est nous qu’on ose méditer
De rendre à l’antique esclavage !
Aux armes, citoyens…
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Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
Aux armes, citoyens…
(Couplet des enfants)
Nous entrerons dans la carrière
Quand nos aînés n’y seront plus,
Nous y trouverons leur poussière
Et la trace de leurs vertus (bis)
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre
Que de partager leur cercueil,
Nous aurons le sublime orgueil
De les venger ou de les suivre
Aux armes, citoyens…
31 Jul 2012, 12:18 pm
Not a Sharks fan but I really hope they win it………………imagine the fall out if the New Zealanders lose at home to a Saffa side with a French Maestro in command. God presents us with an opportunity avenge the “goldenbryce” all glory to God!!!
31 Jul 2012, 12:18 pm
@Puma-29: Hey Bro, i think he is refering to this, this was the Sharks tean vs the Chiefs after we had just returned from down under on our tour,
Sharks: 1. Dale Chadwick , 2. Bismarck du Plessis , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 4. Steven Sykes , 5. Anton Bresler , 6. Jacques Botes , 7. Willem Alberts , 8. Keegan Daniel (Captain) , 9. Charl McLeod , 10. Patrick Lambie , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 12. Tim Whitehead , 13. JP Pietersen , 14. Louis Ludik , 15. Riaan Viljoen
Replacements , 16. Craig Burden , 17. Wiehahn Herbst , 18. Pieter-Steph du Toit , 19. Jean Deysel , 20. Marcell Coetzee , 21. Frederic Michalak , 22. Meyer Bosman
Chiefs: 1. Arizona Taumalolo , 2. Mahonri Schwalger , 3. Ben Tameifuna , 4. Craig Clarke (c) , 5. Brodie Retallick , 6. Liam Messam , 7. Sam Cane , 8. Alex Bradley , 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow , 10. Aaron Cruden , 11. Asaeli Tikoirotuma , 12. Sonny Bill Williams , 13. Richard Kahui , 14. Lelia Masaga , 15. Andrew Horrell
Replacements :16. Hika Elliot , 17. Josh Hohneck , 18. Michael Fitzgerald , 19. Tanerau Latimer , 20. Augustine Pulu , 21. Jackson Willison , 22. Robbie Robinson
31 Jul 2012, 12:23 pm
@Transformation-34: I apologise Transie. Timmy started. Thought it was Bosman. Just checked. Bosman did come on later he was on the bench. And what I recall from that game we did keep SBW in check.
31 Jul 2012, 12:25 pm
@sharks_lover-37: Yes checked. Somehow thought Bosman started. Anyhow it was Timmy but what I do remember well is that SBW was not such a big factor in our game against them.
Bosman’s defence has been excellent in the last two games. Who would you start at inside centre?
31 Jul 2012, 12:26 pm
@sharks_lover-37: thank you sharky…i don’t know where Puma got that Meyer Bosman shutdown SBW when Bosman only played 22 minutes of that match. Sonny Bill Williams made 76 metres with ball in hand the most by any chiefs player on the day.
31 Jul 2012, 12:27 pm
and because no matter what team they play for vrystaaters bly mos vrysaarters “VAT HOM FLUFFFFIIIEEE”
31 Jul 2012, 12:27 pm
@sharks_lover-37: I still have that game on my pvr. Will watch it later and see how we went again. I do remember the Chiefs scored a try right on the 80min though. It was a very close game. Closer than the 6 points they beat us with.
31 Jul 2012, 12:28 pm
Transie he made a good few meteres but wasn’t his usual self… Knocked on a lot and passes not going to hand etc…
31 Jul 2012, 12:30 pm
@Transformation-32: Hes a BMT player and since the Sharks have had to win every game for the last 5 or 6 rounds, hes stepped up everytime. Before that he played at scrummie mostly so not sure what you on about. Was saying then that his flyhalf game is underrated and hes proved me right? Not so
31 Jul 2012, 12:31 pm
@Puma-39: Eish bro i am so confused as to that center pairing, because no matter which one they choose it could be great or blow up in our faces
For consistancy i would prolly go the rought of Bosman and JPP for the first half, Lambie at 15 with Ludik at 14.
I am a huge fan of Jordaan as you know, but i reckon with 30-35 min to go he can cause some havock, specially with his speed against some tired legs
31 Jul 2012, 12:32 pm
@Puma-38: it’s cool, just wanted to clarify.
when mvovo went off after the head clash with masaga, do you know who came on for him? the sharks only had fred & bosman on the bench, someone had to move to wing…
31 Jul 2012, 12:32 pm
@THE MAULER-43: I just remember that SBW never had such a great game that day.
Who would you start this weekend? Bosman or Lambie at 12?
31 Jul 2012, 12:34 pm
@Transformation-46: No problem Transie.
Now if you were Plum who would you play at inside centre, because I think we have to be smart who we play there. Bosman’s defence has been outstanding for the last 40min of the last two games he has played.
We have not much choice. Bosman or Lambie. I think Lambie may still be carrying a slight injury. So for me it has to be Bosman.
31 Jul 2012, 12:35 pm
@THE MAULER-43: yes, i remember the series of knock-ons but i can’t agree that he was shutdown…both teams played scrappy rugby and the game could’ve gone either way until augustine pulu snatched it @ the end with an audacious dart around the ruck with the hooter gone…
31 Jul 2012, 12:36 pm
Puma I would start Bosman and play Lambie off the bench… Ludik at FB and JP back at wing with Jordaan at 13… Lambie can cover 10,12,15…
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