The Rochelle scrum-half suffers from a tear and will be out for at least three weeks. Behind Antoine Dupont, the XV of France will be largely deprived in this position.
A new injury and a serious headache for Fabien Galthié. A big week before the announcement of his list (January 21) for the 2026 Six Nations Tournament, the coach of the French XV should be deprived of Nolann Le Garrec for the start of the competition.
The La Rochelle player was injured this weekend during the Champions Cup match and will be absent for at least three weeks, the Team learned this Monday. The scrum half was hit in the hamstring at the very end of the match against Leinster, which La Rochelle lost (25-24). While the staff thought that number 9 was suffering from cramps, it is in fact a more serious injury, since it is a tear.
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The Blues deprived at the scrum half position
The 23-year-old has been dealing with injuries for several months. Last November, the player from La Rochelle was injured with the French team, after the defeat against South Africa (32-17). He suffered a torn thigh and missed a month of competition. It is therefore a new setback for the player with 14 caps with the Blues.
The French XV will thus have to do without another scrum half used to the Blue group for the start of the tournament. Antoine Dupont, who has not played an international match since his terrible injury suffered against Ireland during last year’s VI Nations Tournament, will be back, but Fabien Galthié will have to do without several of his faithful second knives in this position. In addition to Nolann Le Garrec, Maxime Lucu, injured in a knee (absence of four to six weeks) and Baptiste Jauneau (absence for approximately 2 months), will also be absent from the list that Fabien Galthié will reveal on Wednesday January 21.
With all these absences, several experienced players could claim a return to the French team, such as the Lyon player Baptiste Couilloud (17 caps) or the Toulonnais Baptiste Serin (49 caps), who has not played a single 6 Nations match since 2021, while other players (Thibault Daubagna, Paul Graou) seem to be starting from further away. Fabien Galthié still has a big week to make his choices, but above all he must hope that injuries spare a team already deprived of many players when it comes time to put its crown on the line.
