Frederic Michalak admitted that his demotion from the French side knocked his confidence.
Former France fly-half out to prove a point
Frederic Michalak is poised to make his first start for France since the World Cup on Saturday but has admitted that his demotion from the side knocked his confidence.
The former number 10, now operating at scrum-half for Toulouse, could fill either role against the Italians at the weekend following an injury to Sebastien Tillous-Borde and the questionable form of Francois Trinh-Duc.
But Michalak, already capped 50 times at the age of 26, was forced to question himself following a year in the international wilderness prior to Monday's recall.
"Honestly, at the start of the Six Nations, I was disappointed. And then I questioned myself," he said. "I said to myself that I perhaps wasn't doing all I should be doing with Toulouse to be called up by France.
"I thought a lot. I challenged myself about the way I was working. Was I doing enough on the pitch? Had I put in enough effort in training?
"Sometimes you lose hope. You ask yourself what you have to do. My conclusion was to say to myself, 'Shut up and work harder'."
That hard work appears to be paying off, with Michalak starting Toulouse's last three matches at scrum-half while kicking 16 points in the victory over Castres at the weekend.
But representing the national side is where he wants to be.
"Playing for France is the biggest thing that can happen to you," he added in L'Equipe. "You realise that more when you aren't involved. You envy the guys who are there."
