Bordeaux-Bègles scrum half Maxime Lucu, victim of a sprained right knee, will be absent between four and six weeks, AFP learned on Wednesday from UBB manager Yannick Bru, which makes his presence very uncertain for the start of the Six Nations Rugby Tournament on February 5.
“If he works well, it will be four weeks. Otherwise, it will be six,” Yannick Bru told AFP during training open to the media, while the French XV will begin the Tournament by hosting Ireland on February 5 at the Stade de France.
“If he works well, it will be four weeks. Otherwise, it will be six,” estimates Yannick Bru
If Lucu’s unavailability comes at a time when the indisputable holder in the scrum-half position with the Blues, Antoine Dupont, has returned to the field, the UBB player can also play at the opening.
Maxime Lucu, who has 30 caps, will also miss several Top 14 and Champions Cup matches with the Gironde club.
On Saturday, Lucu played the entire championship match against Racing 92 (62-20), without apparent discomfort, first behind the scrum then at the opening after the exit of Matthieu Jalibert, and his injury surprised the staff.
This season, the international from the Basque Country has already missed the first seven days of the Top 14 due to a ruptured thumb tendon, which occurred during the last preparation match against Montauban. He returned at the end of October and was able to play the Blues’ three matches of the Autumn Tour.
After hosting Ireland, the French XV will continue their Six Nations Tournament by traveling to Wales on February 15, before welcoming Italy a week later then going to Scotland on March 7 and facing England in Saint-Denis on March 14.
At UBB, his absence is added to that of young scrum half Valentin Hutteau, and the Gironde club only has one specialist left in the position, Italian international Martin Page-Relo, returning from injury before the clash of the 3rd day of the Champions Cup against Northampton on Sunday. But he can also count on the versatility of Arthur Retière.
