It’s a huge blow for the French rugby team, less than a month before the start of the World Cup, at home (September 8). According to the newspaper L’Equipe and various media, medical examinations, carried out on Monday August 14, revealed that the opening half holder of the Blues, Romain Ntamack (24 years old), suffers from a rupture of the cruciate ligament of the left knee. The Toulouse opener limped off in the 56th minute of the match which ended with France’s victory against Scotland on Saturday in Saint-Etienne. A victory for which he had laid the groundwork, scoring the first tricolor test (in the 32nd minute).

If the information has not yet been formalized by the French Rugby Federation (FFR), the player split a short message on social networks, “I will come back”. The French team of Fabien Galthié thus loses its master to play and one of its essential executives for four years. By taking charge of the France team in 2019, the coach installed the Toulousain in the chair of the opening half position and gave him, with Antoine Dupont, the keys to his team’s game.

Sometimes in the shadow of Antoine Dupont, the star scrum half and captain of the French team, Romain Ntamack nevertheless plays a major role in the organization of the team. His complementarity with the best player in the world 2021, so important in a rugby team – and especially their large number of matches in common (27 meetings as holders) – was one of the key assets of the France team. and one of Fabien Galthié’s goals when he took charge of the XV of France.

Matthieu Jalibert should inherit number 10

“Currently, number 10 is Romain Ntamack, insisted the coach in January 2022, when the competition with the Bordeaux opener, Matthieu Jalibert returned to the carpet. It is a consequence of his match against the Blacks [in November 2021] and the nineteen previous matches, the twenty weeks of preparation. The All Blacks was a collective and individual experience, a journey too. »

If, until then, the XV of France was – relatively – spared from injuries while the list of players forfeited for the World Cup in France is growing day by day over the summer, this injury is the first rut for the Blues. Logically, Matthieu Jalibert should inherit number 10, and the Rochelle opener, Antoine Hastoy, European champion with the Maritimes, should slip on the bench and in the list of 33 (which will be announced Monday August 21).

The Toulousain, son of former international Emile Ntamack, will also be forfeited with his club for a good part of the Top 14 season, which begins on August 18. And this package should relaunch the nagging debate on the length of the seasons that players playing in the French championship must play. Romain Ntamack played in the final of the French championship at the end of June, when most internationals from other teams had finished their season several weeks ago. It is also for this reason that the opener, like many other executives of the XV of France, had been left to rest for France’s first warm-up match, against Scotland, on August 5. .