|
Frederic Michalak Profile |
|
-
Birth Date: October 16, 1982
-
Birth Place: Toulouse, France
-
Birth Name: Frederic Michalak
-
Height: 5'8"
|
|
|
Biography |
Frédéric Michalak (born 16 October 1982 in Toulouse) is a
French rugby union footballer who plays for his hometown
team, Toulouse in the Top 14 and Heineken Cup. He has played
over 40 matches for France. He originally played scrum half,
but has recently played mainly at fly-half. Michalak is one
of the most popular French athletes and European rugby union
players. He has also done ads for companies like Nike.
Michalak has been playing for Toulouse since 1998. He was a
part of the team that won the French championship in 2001
and the Heineken Cup in 2003. He was instrumental in
Toulouse's 2005 Heineken Cup truimph. Michalak made his
first appearance for France against South Africa in 2001,
and became a regular in the French side and was a part of
their 2003 Rugby World Cup. Michalak was also a part of the
Six Nations French Grand Slam winners in 2004 and the
champions of 2006.
Michalak's club Toulouse were crowned the champions of
France in 2001, when they defeated AS Montferrand in the
final 34 to 22. Later that year, in November, Michalak made
his international debut for France, coming on as a
replacement in a match against South Africa in Paris at the
national stadium, Stade de France. France won the match, 20
points to 10. He was promoted to the starting lineup for a
test against Australia the following week in Marseille where
he played at Scrum-half. He scored his first points for
France in the match, landing one penalty goal. France won
the match by one point, 14 to 13. He was used as a
replacement in the subsequent match against Fiji at St
Etienne, which France also won.
The following year he was back in the starting line up for
France in a Six Nations match against Italy at Stade de
France, which France won 33 points to 12, though Michalak
did not play in any other of France's Six Nations matches.
France eventually went onto win the tournament. Michalak
earnt further caps for France that year during June. He was
an unused bench replacement in a match against Argentina,
but was then moved into the starting line up for subsequent
matches against Australia, both of which France lost.
In 2003 he started at scrum-half for France in their Six
Nations match against Italy in Rome at Stadio Flaminio.
France won the match with Michalak also scoring his first
try for the national team. He played in one other Six
Nations match that year, starting against Wales in Paris,
where he scored another try, in the 33 to five victory.
Toulouse proceeded to win the 2002-03 Heineken Cup,
defeating fellow French team USA Perpignan 22 to 17 in the
final. Michalak was then included in the national squad for
the June tests prior to the 2003 World Cup in Australia. He
was not used in France's first match against Argentina, but
came off the bench in the second of two. He then started in
the following match against the All Blacks, where he scored
eight points with his kicking in the loss. He earnt
subsequent caps in matches against Romania, scoring 14
points with his boot, and against England, where he scored
12 of France's 17 points in the one point victory.
Michalak was included in France's squad for the World Cup,
and made his World Cup debut against Fiji at Suncorp Stadium
in Brisbane during the pool stages, where he scored 26
points. He scored over 20 points in another match against
Japan, including a try. He also scored a try in the
subsequent game against Scotland and was rested for the
final pool match against the United States. He scored 23
points in France's 43 to 21 quarter final win over Ireland.
The semi-final against England was billed as 'Michalak
versus Wilkinson' but France's No 10 faltered under the
spotlight, and when Michalak struggled so did France. He
did, however, finish the tournament as the second-highest
points scorer, behind Wilkinson.
The following year he played in four of France's Six Nations
fixtures all in the starting line up. He was not used in the
match against Italy. Toulouse also made it to the final of
the 2003-04 Heineken Cup, though they were defeated by the
London Wasps. Michalak was capped another four times in
November of that year, against Argentina, Australia and the
All Blacks. He played in all of France's 2005 Six Nations
matches, as well as Toulouse's 2004-05 Heineken Cup victory
over Stade Français. He came into the Heineken Cup final
under an injury cloud, but showed no signs of it, even
sealing the victory for Toulouse in the end with a late drop
goal. Toulouse won 18 to 12, and became the first ever team
to win the Cup three times. He was then capped three times
in June for France; twice against the Springboks and once
against Australia. Michalak was capped another four times in
November, against Australia, Canada, Tonga and South Africa.
However, he came under much criticism from the French public
after France's 20 to 16 loss to Scotland in the opening week
of the Six Nations. Fans were not impressed at Stade de
France either, when he made a series of errors and was
replaced in the 67th minute in the fixture against Ireland.
Bernard Laporte said that he was however satisified with his
performance, and was going to back him up and support him.
As it turned out, France went onto win the Six Nations that
season.
Michalak twisted his right knee during a Toulouse training
session, and apparently sparined the lateral ligament, but
the crucial ligaments were not torn. He thus missed the
Toulouse-Stade Francais, and Toulouses' opening Heineken Cup
match against Ulster. By most indications, he should be
available for France's Test matches against the All Blacks
and Pumas in November. |
|
|
Other Information |
|
French rugby player. |
|
|
|
