Chabal urges France to get stuck in
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:13
Caveman: Sebastien Chabal is back in the French team
France will try to be more physical in the contact area and string together more phases of play as they seek to upset the Wallabies in the second Test in Brisbane on Saturday, key forward Sebastien Chabal said Thursday.
France - who arrived in Australia minus their top stars, at home for the Top 14 play-offs - competed well with the Wallabies for the opening half and late in the game, but fell short 13-34 in last Saturday's first Test match in Sydney.
It was the Wallabies' biggest margin of victory over France in Australia, eclipsing their 48-31 triumph in Brisbane in 1990.
Chabal, the leader of the French pack, vowed an improved performance in Saturday's return Test after the team was redrafted with 11 positional changes this week.
"If we play with the same intensity as in the first half in Sydney, and don't switch off for 10 to 15 minutes, we will have a chance to do something," Chabal told reporters.
"Australia has a lot of young players, and we are going out there not just to play rugby, but to win. And that can happen.
"Where we have to be better is in the contact area, in particular the rucks, because Australia make it difficult for us.
"They did not roll out of the tackle, and the referee didn't say much about that. That slowed the game quite a lot. But if we are the first at the tackle, that won't happen."
Chabal, the Sale back row forward who is locking down with team skipper Lionel Nallet on the Australian tour, has urged his teammates to cherish possession more than they did in Sydney.
"We also kicked too much, and should have played more phases. We showed that at the end of the game, when we held the ball for more than three or four phases and Australia soon got tired. And they were in trouble," he said.
"So we will be keeping the ball more in Brisbane."
Chabal said the team needed more of the feisty attitude of rookie Brive wing Alexis Palisson, who got the better of his high-profile opponent Lote Tuqiri in last week's Test and finished up scoring France's only try.
"All the young boys in this team are quite relaxed," said Chabal, known as the 'Caveman' for his shaggy beard and flowing locks.
"And that's good before a game, because it shows they just enjoy playing.
"They're not getting hung up about anything. We saw that with Alexis last week - well, he was unbelievable. And he's just 20."
Wallabies assistant coach Jim Williams said Chabal was being wasted in Australia with coach Marc Lievremont shifting him from his favoured No.8 position to play at lock.
Williams, who played against Chabal when the former Wallabies flank ended his career with Irish team Munster, said: "He's a little bit looser and he gets around the park more and has lot more impact, especially with the ball running.
"He's a back row forward by heart. He's a lazy scrummager, to tell you the truth from first-hand experience."
AFP
