Romain Ntamack ruled out of Rugby World Cup - report
France’s Romain Ntamack has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup due to a knee injury suffered during a match against Scotland. L’Equipe reports that Ntamack sustained an ACL injury in their narrow victory over Scotland in St Etienne over the weekend.
While head coach Fabien Galthie initially described it as a hyperextension, the renowned French sporting outlet are now reporting it was an ACL and he will miss the entire tournament.
The incident unfolded as Ntamack attempted to tackle Scotland’s Finn Russell before getting his boot caught in the turf. Medical personnel provided immediate assistance on the field, and Ntamack had to be helped off, displaying evident distress from the suspected knee injury.
Ntamack’s partnership with Antoine Dupont at Toulouse has been a linchpin for both club and country, contributing to a Grand Slam win in 2022 and leading France to a notable 14-game victory streak. The untimely loss of such a pivotal player presents a considerable setback for the host nation, particularly given their formidable lineup in the warm-up match against Scotland.
France do have the luxury of Matthieu Jalibert as a replacement, yet even with this proviso, the loss of the Toulouse star is seismic.
A huge blow for France who will now go into the World Cup without one of their key playmakers ?#rugby #RWC2023 #frenchrugby pic.twitter.com/lBgD7iBPCC
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 14, 2023
As the Rugby World Cup approaches, France must negotiate two more warm-up fixtures against Fiji and Australia before their opening game against the All Blacks on September 8. Ntamack’s unavailability casts a shadow over their preparations.
Rugby is a contact sport, Test Rugby is another level up from provincial.
Tricky going into a world cup cold without any games. I think a lot of the French last played 9 weeks back, so to jump straight into test match level is crazy.
Hard luck for him, That French backline just lost an X-Factor player!
It's crazy how many good/important players for their country got injured in these warm-up matches...
Are these test matches truly necessary? Especially before the RWC. Regardless of who you support; it's a shame to see any player injured.
F**k!!!!
We follow an unforgiving sport. So sad for a terrific player
Such a pity, really exciting player.
Well it's not only the luxury of Jalibert, we also count on Hastoy which is Champions Cup winner with La Rochelle and amazing player. Ramos can also play 10, as he's used to in Toulouse with Dupont, leaving 15 to Dulin. Many good options !
Presumably Jalibert will replace him but personally I'd love to see Ramos get an opportunity at 10