Chabal back to terrorise Wallabies

(AAP) - The Wallabies are bracing themselves for a torrid showdown with the French on Saturday night, suspecting the surprise recall of cult hero Sebastien Chabal may inspire Les Bleus to produce one of their special home Test performances.

After being frozen out during this year's Six Nations tournament and only used off
the bench in their two previous autumn Test wins over Argentina and the Pacific
Islanders, "Caveman" Chabal has been handed a lifeline by French coach Marc
Lievremont.
An explosive and fearless ball runner, Chabal will line up in the second row at
Stade de France.
"The public's support for Sebastien will certainly be important at the beginning of
the match," said French forwards coach Didier Retiere. "Everyone is looking forward
to his return."
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans had no doubt Chabal's inclusion was designed to
galvanise the French team and energise the home crowd in the same dramatic manner he
did during last year's Rugby World Cup in France.
"They wouldn't have made the change lightly," Deans said on Tuesday.
"It's obviously based on the way he plays and what he offers them.
"We know him pretty well and playing at Stade de France he will embody their direct
approach and try to bring the crowd into the game.
"He's hugely popular."
Chabal was the very public face of France's home World Cup campaign, lifting the
side to dizzy heights at times and also stirring interest in rugby in an areas of
the soccer-obsessed previously thought unimaginable.
But while he remains one of France's most popular and highest-paid sports stars,
Chabal's selection caught Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock off guard on Tuesday.
Mortlock conceded Chabal was one of the few players capable of intimidating
opposition sides and said the Wallabies needed to treat him with respect - but
without fear.
"I don't think you want to go into a Test match with doubt, or (with) fear for your
opposition. It's not a good state to be in," Mortlock said.
While most of France's frontline players sat out the 2-0 series loss to the
Wallabies in Australia this winter, Chabal is one of the few tourists backing up on
Saturday with Lievremont now having all his stars back available for selection.
"They're playing at home and they wouldn't have enjoyed their last experience
against us, so they we'll be wanting to belt us - to put it bluntly," Deans said.
"Obviously the French combination (in Australia) was one that was thrown together at
the end of a long season.
"It's different circumstances now. They're coming into their season now. They're
fresh. They've got Six Nations coming. They aspire to positions. They aspire to
being part of the French group going forward.
"So there'll be a lot of ambition and excitement around that, and they've had some
preparation. It's totally different."
The Wallabies on Tuesday trained without halfback Luke Burgess, who was laid low
with the flu.
But coach Deans, who was also feeling under the weather, said Burgess was not in
doubt at this stage.
"Luke's coming along okay," he said.