Michalak looking to 2015 RWC

 

Michalak has experienced a rich vein of form for his club Toulon with the French giants reaching the European Cup quarterfinals.

 

This has prompted the 31-year-old, who is clearly enjoying his rugby, to hold off his international retirement at least until after the global showpiece next year.

 

The mercurial French playmaker has come and gone in the French line-up over the last few years but has set his goal clearly on not only attending the World Cup, but winning it.

 

The Toulouse-born Michalak was largely ignored by Marc Lievremont and left out of his 2011 World Cup squad, but his fortunes improved under new coach Philippe Saint-Andre despite his inability to nail down a regular start at Toulon where he is in competition with English star Jonny Wilkinson.

 

Having started at flyhalf in Toulon's last two games, Michalak is relishing the upcoming weekend's European Cup quarterfinal against Leinster, with a firm eye on making Saint-Andre's squad for next year's World Cup in England.

 

"At 31 years of age, I have not got 10 years left in my career," he said.

 

"My goal is clear: to go to the World Cup. And I don't just want to go there, but to win it."

 

Michalak said he was enjoying his rugby at the moment, and happy to be staying at Toulon.

 

"That's important for me, I'm physically good, I no longer have any injury problems and that allows me to be at 100 percent and play without any hang-ups.

 

"I'm happy to be in form at this time of the season, in the final stretch. I'm loving it at flyhalf and, with my experience, it's a position in which I'm at ease.

 

"In any case, I'm hungry to win and the desire to win titles with Toulon," he said.

 

Michalak added: "I'm chuffed to be staying with Toulon, which continues to grow bigger and which has the goal of being at the highest level for a long time.

 

"I also have ambitions to be in the running for the France team."

 

Michalak guided Toulon past his old club Toulouse last weekend in the Top 14.

 

"It was important to win," Michalak said of the 32-28 victory. "It allows is to stay up high in the standings, but it's also good for confidence ahead of the European Cup quarterfinal.

 

"Not everything was perfect, we must be better when we get the ball out of our own half and also in one-on-ones."

 

He added: "Leinster is yet another step up. It's always special playing against them. Even if at the moment all the matches are extremely tough, it's a straight knock-out match.

 

"A European Cup quarterfinal is not just anything, even more so at home. We battled to be able to play at our Stade Mayol and it's now up to us to make the most of that and reach the semifinal and go on to defend our title."

 

Leinster, Michalak added, "are an impressive team, in the image of the Ireland side since there's about 20 players who took part in the Six Nations which they won".