主播大秀

The Caveman cometh (75)

• Bryn Palmer
• 20 Sep 07, 10:49 PM

Paris - A phenomenon sweeping across France will reach a new peak in Paris on Friday.

With the country on tenterhooks for the do-or-die World Cup clash with Ireland, the man they call 鈥淟鈥橦omme des Cavernes鈥� (The Caveman) will rumble into the Stade de France with millions roaring him on around the country.

, the shaggy-haired, bearded behemoth beloved of Sale fans, has belatedly found fame and popularity in his own country.

His image is everywhere, on television, publicity posters, newspapers. He even has his own puppet in France鈥檚 version of , 鈥淟es Guignols de l鈥檌nfo鈥�.

Before the tournament Chabal declared that France was armed with 鈥�30 鈥� as they pursued a triumph on home soil to rival that of their footballers in

And just as that football World Cup cemented Zidane鈥檚 cult status in France, Chabal is certainly the face of this to date as far as the hosts are concerned.

A newspaper poll before the action started found was the most popular French player, but that has all changed in the last fortnight.

As one headline here this week put it: 鈥淩ien n鈥檃rrete la chabalmania鈥� (Nothing can stop Chabal mania)

It is a remarkable transformation for a player of monstrous power who has never been a regular in the French side despite his 33 caps since 2000, and who was booed off the pitch during a Test against two years ago.

Chabal鈥檚 cult status started to spread in June on a tour to , where France鈥檚 second-string side was twice thrashed by the All Blacks.

Chabal鈥檚 thumping hit on left the All Blacks flanker in a daze one week, while the next he broke the jaw of as the lock tried to tackle him. The two incidents are big hitters, so to speak, on YouTube.

That impression of a force of nature was heightened last month, when he bludgeoned his way through two English tacklers to score a winning try at .

In France鈥檚 opening World Cup match against, Chabal鈥檚 appearance on the touchline as he prepared to come on as a replacement for vice-captain Fabien Pelous after an hour instantly galvanised the crowd.

On that occasion, despite a couple of charges, he was unable to rescue his side.

But the television pictures of the France squad getting down to work again in the days that followed all focused on the muscular frame of Chabal 鈥� doing sit-ups, on an exercise bike, sprinting, jumping, boxing.

He was duly named in the starting line-up for France鈥檚 second game against in Toulouse, in a team that included eight players.

But when the line-ups were announced in the stadium beforehand, no player got a louder cheer than Chabal.

Ironic, perhaps, since they were the club he wanted to join when he left Bourgoin-Jallieu in 2004, but the aristocrats of French rugby showed no interest at that time.

When they did try to tempt him back to France in late 2005, he was part of a side on their way to winning the English Premiership that season and instead opted to extend his stay on the outskirts of Manchester until 2009.

Chabal, who grew up in Valence, south of Lyon, was known as 鈥淭he Anaethetist鈥� in France because of his tackling, but at Sale he is nicknamed 鈥溾�� 鈥� to distinguish him from fellow Frenchman Sebastien Bruno.

Sharks fans wear T-shirts bearing Chabal鈥檚 face over a skull and crossbones with the slogan 鈥溾�� (after a song by George Thorogood and the Destroyers).

In the stands of Toulouse鈥檚 Stadium Municipal last Sunday, members of his were easy to spot 鈥� dressed in masks with long black hair and shaggy black beards.

Each time he ran with the ball, a 鈥淗ouuuuuuu!鈥� reverberated around the stadium, and nine minutes into the second half, he ploughed over for a popular try.

But five minutes later, he brought the house down with a second score that cemented his cult status, picking up a pass just inside his own half, accelerating between three Namibians, and then holding off two more tacklers before scoring in the right corner.

It has since been referred to as 鈥�-esque鈥�, although sceptics might argue the 14-man Namibian defence was already stretched by that point.

The commentator on French TV, beside himself with excitement, bellowed 鈥淚l est enorme!鈥� (He is immense!) over and over again, punctuated by gasps of 鈥淨uelle puissance!鈥�(What power!)

When he was replaced shortly afterwards by Pelous, a stalwart of the Toulouse club, the commentator felt the need to explain that the rapturous ovation 鈥渨as for Chabal, not for Pelous鈥�. Chabal in turn applauded the crowd long and hard, bathing in the warmth of their affection.

The next day, every French newspaper carried his picture on their front page.

French people I have spoken to compare him to , another Frenchman whose explosive nature and taste for the spectacular so endeared him to fans when he ignited the most successful period in their history.

Chabal, who like Cantona, and latterly , has seen his career flourish in England after leaving France, also appears to share some of Cantona鈥檚 idiosyncrasies.

At a media conference last week, he was asked if he could take a question in English. He replied, in English, 鈥淣o, we are in France, so we speak French鈥� before standing up and ending the session there and then.

He is also popular with the ladies. As one told me: 鈥淗e needs to get his hair cut, and his beard. But yes, he is sexy鈥�.

Chabal is refusing to talk about his burgeoning popularity, and with it his cult grows.

For a long time France coach Bernard Laporte seemed indifferent to his qualities, either leaving him on the bench, or using him at flanker rather than his club position of number eight, on the few occasions he did pick him from the start.

But for this World Cup he has reinvented Chabal, who only started playing rugby at 16 when he left his job as a mechanic, as a lock, where he will start against Ireland.

鈥淚f something is happening around Sebastien, it is because he is performing on the field,鈥� Laporte said. 鈥淗e gives confidence to others. We don鈥檛 take any notice of publicity. We have selected him for his speed and his explosivness.鈥�

Look out . The Caveman is coming your way.

Bryn Palmer is the 主播大秀 Sport website鈥檚 rugby union editor.

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