France plunged into full-blown crisis before Boks with latest casualty list

France’s injury crisis has deepened five days before their Nations Championship showdown with South Africa after Paul Boudehent became the latest player ruled out.

The La Rochelle flanker started and scored in Saturday’s 54-17 win over Fiji, but a calf injury has forced him out of the squad, which was confirmed on Sunday. Stade Français lock Paul Gabrillagues has been called up in his place.

Boudehent joins a casualty list in the pack that already includes Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament, Demba Bamba, and Marko Gazzotti, Oscar Jegou and Anthony Jelonch in the back-row alone.

The picture is even more troubling behind the scrum. Romain Ntamack was forced off against Fiji with a shoulder injury and French outlet L’Équipe reported on Sunday that scans confirmed a dislocation which is expected to sideline him for around two months.

His absence leaves Fabien Galthié without his four leading fly-half options. Matthieu Jalibert remains out with a quad injury, Thomas Ramos has been troubled by a leg problem and Antoine Hastoy is unavailable with an ankle injury.

Nolann Le Garrec and Fabien Brau-Boirie are also sidelined, stripping further depth from a backline now preparing to face the world champions.

Louis Carbonel has consequently been recalled to the 42-man group, while uncapped pair Axel Desperes and Louis Le Brun remain among the available fly-half options alongside the nine-cap Leo Barre. Maxime Lucu, normally a scrum-half, replaced Ntamack against Fiji and finished the match at No.10, which he has done in Bordeaux-Bègles colours this season in Jalibert’s absence.

Galthié also has Antoine Dupont and versatile Toulouse youngster Kalvin Gourgues as emergency alternatives.

France nevertheless produced eight tries against Fiji, with Dupont and their backline finding increasing fluency as the match progressed.

But the challenge awaiting them at the Stade de France is considerably greater.

With Boudehent now added to an already overcrowded injury list and the fly-half stocks virtually bare, Galthié has only days to rebuild key areas of his side before facing the world No.1s for the last time before a potential World Cup semi-final next year.