Michalak injury blow for Toulouse

HOLDERS Toulouse’s hopes of making next month’s Heineken Cup final received a blow yesterday when it was revealed that French flyhalf Frederic Michalak was a major doubt for Saturday’s semi-final against Biarritz.

Michalak, the 21-year-old Six Nations Grand Slam winning playmaker, is suffering from an ankle injury and Toulouse coach Guy Noves said he had already mentally discounted him from playing in Bordeaux on Saturday.

“Michalak is coming back to fitness but only slowly,” admitted Noves.

“In my head he is not going to be a member of the 22.

“It would be foolish to count on him being fit and if he really is match ready by the end of the week then he will have to prove it to me,” he added.

Biarritz for their part are pessimistic about centre John Isaac’s chances of recovering from a groin injury, although they are confident French international flanker Thomas Lievremont will have recovered from the vertebra problem he suffered against Perpignan last Saturday.