Frederic Michalak: ‘I was the only one who believed that I could be here’

France 32 Italy 10: There were just four minutes to go on Saturday night when Frederic Michalak’s number came up.

France were home and hosed, their 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign off to a winning start and, though the performance had been frustrating, they had swatted the Italians aside, thanks, in no small part, to their out-half, who had contributed 19 points and concocted their first try for Rabah Slimani.

That assist was vintage Michalak. Gaining possession ten metres from the Italian goal-line and in traffic, he caught and dropped the ball to his shoe in the one movement, and dinked a delightful grubber for his prop, of all people, to pick up and touch down. “Freddy brings a lot of experience and a lot of calm,” said full-back, Scott Spedding. “He seems to always know what he is doing and he brings calm to the guys around him. That little grubber kick was an example of Freddy at his best. He can do stuff like that.”