An injury has delivered a big blow to France’s hopes of beating the Springboks in November, when the teams clash for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Supersized Les Bleus tighthead prop Uini Atonio has been ruled out for up to six months with a hamstring injury, according to AFP. Atonio who made the last of his 68 Test appearances in March, suffered the injury in La Rochelle’s Top 14 loss at Pau on Saturday.
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The 35-year-old was already expected to be rested for July’s Test series against his native New Zealand but now he is a major doubt for three November internationals, against South Africa, Fiji and Australia.
Regarded as one of the northern hemisphere’s most powerful scrummagers, Atonio played 58 minutes of the 29-28 defeat to the Boks in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final at Stade de France, which is the venue for the ‘rematch’ on 8 November when the world champions embark on a four-match European tour that includes matches against Wales, France, Italy and Ireland.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
