France prop Jefferson Poirot confirms injury amid strange career admission

France and Bordeaux-Begles loosehead Jefferson Poirot will miss the start of the season after spraining his knee, French outlet RMC have confirmed.

The 33-year-old, who came out of international retirement in July to represent Les Bleus for the first time since 2020, will miss the next six to eight weeks with the injury, Bordeaux head coach Yannick Bru has confirmed.

The injury will leave the loosehead in a fitness race to make the beginning of Bordeaux’s Investec Champions Cup title defence, which begins with a round one trip to Gloucester on October 16.

Before then, the Bordelaise club will have six Top 14 fixtures, as they seek an elusive first domestic title of the professional era. Their season gets underway on September 5 with a visit from Racing 92.

While it has been reported that Poirot’s contract with the European champions will expire at the end of the upcoming season, he revealed when speaking to RMC that this will be his last season in professional rugby, leaving it unclear as to whether he will retire before the 2027 World Cup, or strive to make the international showcase his career swansong. Such a career decision may come as a surprise after coming out of international retirement this year.

Fixture

Investec Champions Cup

Gloucester

12:00

16 Oct 26

Bordeaux

All Stats and Data

“My injury was accidental, from a tackle I took from the side, combined with a high tackle,” Poirot revealed.

“That gives me six more weeks to do a big pre-season. This is my last season at the club and even in professional rugby. This season is special for me, that’s why I’m taking it in a positive way, I want to have my best season with the club.”

RugbyPass reported this week that Bath and England loosehead Beno Obano has been lined up as a potential replacement for Poirot on the Atlantic coast, with his contract at the Rec expiring at the end of the season.