DURBAN, October 23 - France international flyhalf Frederic Michalak and his Sharks side will be out to prevent the Blue Bulls from retaining their Currie Cup title here on Saturday.
Sharks, who have a number of World Cup winning Springboks in their ranks, have won 12 of their 14 matches so far in this South African domestic competition which augurs well for their chances in the final.
The Sharks have often in the past banked on the experience and flair of French players, with Test veterans of the 1990s, lock Olivier Roumat and flyhalf Thierry Lacroix, contributing significantly to the titles won by the Sharks in 1995 and 1996, the last time the team from the east coast of South Africa won the prestigious competition.
Now, the Sharks are looking to Michalak to follow in their footsteps, and provide some of the magic the French players are so well known for.
The 28-year-old from Toulouse has enjoyed a good season with the star-studded side and even kept the likes of Springbok stars Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn out of the number 10 jersey.
Pienaar has been playing at scrum-half, his favoured position, while Steyn has had to settle for a place at inside centre.
The young, blond-haired prodigy has often stated he would like to play at flyhalf, but Sharks boss John Plumtree, a New Zealander by birth, has backed Michalak to play the creative role at number 10.
With well over 40 international matches and two World Cups behind him, the Frenchman has a wealth of experience having also featured in Top 14 rugby and the European Cup and the fact his team are playing in the final on Saturday has not gone unnoticed in his home country.
French television crews and pressman descended on Absa Stadium here this week in search of interviews with the icon, rugby player and fashion model.
Michalak joined the Sharks from Toulouse at the end of last season ahead of this year's Super 14 competition, but a knee injury cut short his time in the southern hemisphere's most physical and demanding provincial competition.
He returned to France for the Currie Cup despite signing a three-year deal to turn out for Toulouse.
While his temperament has been questioned in the past, especially in big games, the feeling here among the Sharks coaching staff is that Michalak will come good in the final and, as he himself says, will pay back the faith shown him throughout this year.
AFP
