Scrum-half concerns mount for France ahead of Six Nations

France could be missing their three leading scrum-halves behind Antoine Dupont when they set out to defend their Guinness Men’s Six Nations title vs Ireland in Paris on Thursday, February 5th.

Nolann Le Garrec apears to have suffered a repeat of the thigh injury he sustained during the Quilter Nations Series in La Rochelle’s narrow Champions Cup defeat to Leinster last weekend.

Le Garrec started all three of France’s Tests in New Zealand in July, scoring 30 points, and retained the number nine jersey for the first clash of the November window against South Africa, only to tear a muscle in his thigh.

That injury sidelined him for a month and L’Equipe have reported  the 23-year-old is likely to miss a further three weeks with this fresh setback, ruling him out of the Stade de France opener.

Le Garrec joins Clermont’s Baptiste Jauneau (thigh) and Bordeaux-Begles’s Maxime Lucu (knee) in the treatment room.

While Dupont stays fit and in form, Fabien Galthié won’t be overly concerned as scrum-half is an area where France are blessed with talent.

Galthié is due to name his wider 42-man squad for the start of the Six Nations next week and has plenty of options still available to him.

Pau’s Thibault Daubagna is the most recent squad member not currently crocked. But he was only given 18 minutes on the All Blacks tour, so it is doubtful Galthié would entrust him with the No.21 jersey.

Baptiste Serin wasn’t risked for Toulon’s game against Munster, but his injury isn’t thought to be serious, while Lyon’s Baptiste Couilloud may also be in the reckoning.

If Couilloud’s dodgy injury track record counts against him, the two Leos – Racing 92’s Carbonneau, or Montpellier’s Coly – might come under consideration.

Dupont’s Toulouse understudy, the uncapped Paul Graou, is another nine who could step up.