Chabalmania now depends on a decision that the World Cup citing committee will take after his disciplinary hearing this Monday in Paris, after his tackle on English lock Simon Shaw was deemed dangerous.

The verdict is crucial for French chances in the “small” finale against the Pumas. Fabien Pelous is injured and will probably be forced to watch the game from the stands. If “the Caveman” is suspended, Jérôme Thion and Lionel Nallet will be the only locks remaining in the French squad, forcing coach Bernard Laporte’s hand in selection.

No doubt they are robust fellows, but any incident would put a spanner in the works, with Laporte being forced to look to his back row to fill the gap. Perhaps the rangy Yannick Nyanga will get another chance to step into the breach after some impressive performances earlier in the tournament were not enough to claim a berth at the back of the scrum.

Even if allowed to play, Chabal is best used as an impact player to come on in the final stages of the game as the opponents start to tire.

But not before that.

The injury to Pelous saw Chabal him forced into the action in just the 25th minute on Saturday. As a result, his impact in the final minutes was negligible, with the English pack easily able to cope with his fading power. As his power faded, so did his influence as the ‘mascot’ of the team.

Perhaps a grim indication of his future prospects under the next Les Bleus coach?