France’s preparations for the 2021 Six Nations were dealt a blow on Monday after star fly-half Romain Ntamack revealed that he sustained a double fracture of his jaw and will be out of action for “a few weeks”.
The Toulouse fly-half suffered a blow in the first half of his side’s Top 14 victory over Bordeaux-Bègles but did not leave the field until the 68th minute. Reports in the French press suggest that the 21-year-old now faces six to eight weeks on the sidelines and, with France’s opening Six Nations match just over a month away, against Italy in Rome, he faces a race against time to prove his fitness..
Head coach Fabien Galthié’s squad will assemble for pre-tournament preparations on Jan 25 before the match at the Stadio Olimpico on Feb 6. Ntamack will also miss at least four of Toulouse’s upcoming domestic and European fixtures, including a trip to Sandy Park to take on reigning champions Exeter Chiefs, in a repeat of last season’s Champions Cup semi-final.
Announcing the news via Twitter, below, Ntamack said: “Following a blow to the jaw that occured in the first half of the match between Stade Toulousain and Union Bordeaux-Begles, scans have shown a double fracture. I will have to have an operation and be sidelined for a few weeks…”
The news will come as a disappointment to Galthié, with Les Bleus chasing a first Six Nations championship victory since 2010. Ntamack, alongside Toulouse half-back partner Antoine Dupont, have been instrumental to the rejuvenation of Galthie’s new-look side, who were unlucky to miss out on silverware in 2020.
On both occasions – the Six Nations and the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup – they were pipped to the post by England.
Suite à un choc reçu à la mâchoire survenu en première mi-temps du match entre le @StadeToulousain et @UBBrugby , les examens montrent une double fracture de la mâchoire. Je vais devoir subir une opération et être éloigné des terrains quelques semaines… ❤️🖤
— Romain Ntamack (@RomainNtamack) December 28, 2020
Ntamack was unavailable for that dramatic Autumn Nations Cup final loss to Eddie Jones’s side, however, due to an agreement between the French federation and the Top 14 clubs which prevented internationals playing more than three matches in the autumn window. In Ntamack’s stead, Matthieu Jalibert, the Bordeaux fly-half, wore the No10 jersey and was at the forefront of a gutsy, organised French effort. If Ntamack cannot recover in time for the beginning of the Six Nations, Jalibert would be the favourite to continue his stint at fly-half, although Galthié could turn to Toulon play-maker Louis Carbonel, who was on the bench for the Twickenham defeat.
#France #dealt #Nations #blow #Romain #Ntamacks #fractured #jaw
Source
