Sebastien Chabal will make yet another international return against Australia on Saturday, determined to prove he deserves a regular place in France’s team.
The Sale Sharks forward was annoyed on Tuesday when reporters asked if his recall to the starting lineup was due more to pressure from supporters than his capacity to last a match.
“You always ask the same questions. It’s not funny,” said Chabal, the face of last year’s World Cup.
PHOTO: AFP
“You forget I’m also a club player and play some 30 games for the full 80 minutes each season, even if international rugby is played at a higher level. This is not the issue,” he said.
Inconsistency and indiscipline have restricted Chabal to 41 caps, most as a replacement.
Sheer power has been his trademark since he started playing at 17 in a local club at Beauvallon near Valence.
Five years after he handled a rugby ball for the first time, Chabal won his first cap against Scotland in the 2000 Six Nations but, after a disappointing 2003 World Cup, former coach Bernard Laporte sent him into the international wilderness.
In 2004, Chabal joined Sale and became an instant hit.
“To form a good back row you need ... a cart horse. At Sale I’m the cart horse, I bring power and aggression and they love it,” he said.
Chabal’s feats in the English Premiership persuaded Laporte to recall him in 2005. But he was soon omitted again before being brought back for France’s tour of New Zealand in June last year.
Laporte then pushed the “cart horse” theory to the limit and decided to turn Chabal into a lock before the World Cup. Chabal became one of the cult figures of the tournament.
When Laporte was replaced by Marc Lievremont his international days seemed over, with the new coach saying the forward was not part of his rebuilding plans.
Chabal was left out of this year’s Six Nations but returned again for the June tour of Australia.
He started the two Tests won by the Wallabies before again dropping to the bench when France beat Argentina 12-6 two weeks ago and the Pacific Islanders 42-17 last weekend.
“I’m just happy to have a start. I don’t mind playing in the second row, I’m getting used to it,” he said.
“The public’s support for Sebastien will certainly be important at the beginning of the match,” said French forwards coach Didier Retiere. “Everyone is looking forward to his return.”
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