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Chabal is French toast of Paris tie

13/12/2006

SEBASTIEN Chabal outwitted and outpaced some of the best backs in European rugby to stake his claim on a place in the French team.

Watched by more than 44,000 fans and Bernard Laporte, the national coach, Chabal put in an immense, inspiring and passionate performance, which included a 60-metre breakaway try that put Sharks in contention for a bonus point.

"I think Chabal was outstanding," explained Sharks' director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre. "I think maybe he was the best player out on the pitch and [Sebastien] Bruno played very well too. I'm sure they are back on the list of Bernard Laporte."

Despite their brave attempt to overhaul the current French league leaders Sharks fled Paris with no points to show for their efforts.

"I'm proud of my guys," admitted Saint-Andre. "It is a shame we came back with nothing - my guys deserve better than this.

"We were naïve, we were not clinical enough. It is frustrating. This game was a big target for us but I didn't think in the summer we would be coming here with so many first choice players out."

The selection difficulties continue for Saint-Andre, particularly in the backs with the latest casualty Mark Cueto expected to be unavailable for the next few games with a groin injury, sustained during Sunday's match against Stade Francais.

Spanish winger Oriol Ripol was unable to take to the pitch in Paris due to illness meaning Sharks ended the match with three players who prefer to play at centre and three players trained as scrum-halves in the backs unit.

Given the absence due to injury of England flyhalf Charlie Hodgson, centre Chris Bell (hand) and Elvis Seveali'i (shoulder) the four-try tally Saint-Andre's team must aim for on Sunday is looking a tough ask.

It means intense pressure is on Sharks players at Edgeley Park if they are to have a chance of qualifying for the quarter-final stages.

Saint-Andre explained: "If they got just four points and no bonus and we got one bonus point that is not bad. The worst case scenario happened where they get five points and we get nothing. To qualify in this group we need to beat them and score four tries."

Sharks are now eight points adrift of the pool leaders Stade Francais and Chabal accepts that a bonus point victory at home is no easy feat.

He explained: "We simply cannot afford to make any more mistakes and we will have to play at our very physical best at home. That said I think Stade are the big team in this pool. Their defence is much stronger than the Ospreys - we certainly saw that in Paris."