Big blow coming for the Blues? La Rochelle scrum half Nolann Le Garrec announced on Monday on his Instagram account that he had to stay away from the field “for the moment”, an injury which should lead to his withdrawal from the start of the Six Nations Tournament and the reception of Ireland on February 5.
“Very disappointed to be away from the field for the moment… Thank you for your messages and see you soon,” explained the 23-year-old player succinctly, without further details on his injury.
According to the daily L’Équipe, the former Vannes and Racing 92 player was injured while converting La Rochelle’s last try in the 77th minute of the match lost 25-24 by the Maritimes at Leinster last Saturday.
Towards a three-week absence?
What at first seemed to be just a simple cramp would in fact be a tear in the thigh, the same type of injury that had kept Le Garrec off the field for a month after the first fall test of the French XV against South Africa (17-32), on November 8, 2025 at the Stade de France.
Still according to the sports daily, this relapse should force the Rochelais to be absent for at least three weeks, which should therefore lead to his withdrawal from the opening of the 2026 Tournament and the reception of the Irish XV on the Saint-Denis lawn.
Le Garrec had scored three tries in his four matches in the La Rochelle jersey since his return on December 20 in the Top 14 against Bayonne.
The massacre of numbers 9
Garrec is the third number 9 of the Blues to have to withdraw from the opening of the Tournament after Clermontois Baptiste Jauneau, victim of an injury behind a thigh on December 27 against Bordeaux-Bègles, and Bordeaux’s Maxime Lucu, injured in the right knee during the Top 14 match against Racing 92 on January 3, during which he played 80 minutes and finished as fly-half.
Behind Antoine Dupont, the Toulouse scrum half, who returned to the field on November 29, after six months of absence following his rupture of the ligaments in his right knee in Ireland during the 2025 Tournament, Fabien Galthié will be able to count on the Toulonnais Baptiste Serin or the Lyonnais Baptiste Couilloud.
The list of 42 players selected by the coach of the French XV to prepare for the Tournament will be announced next week, on January 20 or 21.
