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A combined injured XV who'll miss some or all of the Six Nations
The 2024 Guinness Six Nations is poised to commence under the shadow of an unprecedented number of injuries to front line players, with at least 37 front-line athletes across all participating nations set to miss some or all of the tournament.
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Here we pick a combined 23 based on the players listed as current Six Nations injury absentees.
15. Ange Capuozzo – Italy
Capuozzo, the Azzurri’s most dangerous broken field runner, has a stomach bug and has withdrawn from the starting team to face Steve Borthwick’s men at the Stadio Olimpico.
14. Mack Hansen – Ireland
Hansen underwent surgery last month after suffering a dislocated shoulder during Connacht’s United Rugby Championship clash against Munster. He’ll be out for three to four months.
13. Manu Tuilagi – England
The frequently England centre will miss the start of the the Six Nations after suffering a groin injury during Sale’s Gallagher Premiership victory over Saracens back in December.
12. Ollie Lawrence – England
The in-form centre injured his hip against Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup last month.
11. Darcy Graham – Scotland
Graham has been ruled out for at least the first two games of the Guinness Six Nations with a quad injury.
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10. Romain Ntamack – France
The 24-year-old was one of the major casualties for France, or indeed any team, ahead of the World Cup after rupturing his ACL in a warm-up match against Scotland in August and underwent surgery soon after.
9, Jack van Poortvliet – England
The England nine’s World Cup campaign lasted less than a week as he limped out of last year’s Summer Nations Series win over Wales after succumbing to a first-half ankle injury
8. Taulupe Faletau – Wales
The No.8 was ruled out of the rest of last year’s Rugby World Cup after suffering a broken arm during their 43-19 win over Georgia in their final pool game.
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7. Tom Curry – England
The England back-rower underwent hip surgery that will see him miss the remainder of the 2023/24 season.
6. Anthony Jelonch – France
France are without flanker Jelonch for the entirety of the Guinness Six Nations after he suffered a knee injury in the Investec Champions Cup in January.
5. Jonny Gray – Scotland
The 29-year-old suffered a nasty knee injury in their European Champions Cup semi-final defeat at La Rochelle in 2023, an injury that caused him to miss the Rugby World Cup. He’s still out of action.
4. Thibaud Flament – France
The towering lock is set to miss the opening game against Ireland at the very least.
3. WP Nel – Scotland
The veteran prop was ruled out of Saturday’s opening match against Wales in Cardiff with a neck strain.
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie – England
The hooker – who has had a string of injuries in recent seasons – picked up his most recent injury as his Sale side were beaten by La Rochelle in the Champions Cup in January.
1. Dave Kilcoyne – Ireland
The the 56-cap international underwent shoulder surgery in January with Munster saying he will be ruled out for the rest of the URC season.
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Rob Herring – Ireland
The Ulster hooker suffered a “significant” elbow injury in training with the Irish province.
17. Simone Ferrari (Italy)
Benetton confirmed that the prop suffered a fracture of the right collarbone in a URC match against the Glasgow Warriors and underwent surgery on it.
18. Marco Riccioni – Italy
Suffered with a neck injury for Saracens.
19. Christ Tshiunza (Wales)
Tshiunza broke his foot playing for Exeter against Sale Sharks and still isn’t back.
20. Dylan Cretin – France
Cretin is sidelined with a significant injury to his knee.
21. Jac Morgan
The Wales captain is likely to miss the entire 2024 Six Nations after undergoing knee surgery.
22. Marcus Smith – England
Smith could yet miss the entire Guinness Six Nations because of the calf injury that has already ruled him of at least this Saturday’s opener against Italy and Wales a week later.
23. Paolo Odogwu – Italy
Odogwu, 26, is set to miss this year’s Guinness Six Nations championship and beyond after rupturing his Achilles in December.
additional reporting PA
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
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