France’s Nicolas Depoortere Set to Miss Remainder of Season with Shoulder Injury
Nicolas Depoortere, the 23-year-old centre for France, is expected to miss the remainder of the season following a dislocated shoulder sustained during Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations match against Scotland. According to reports from the French outlet South West, initial medical evaluations indicate that he will require surgery on his right shoulder.
Depoortere exited the field shortly after halftime during Scotland’s decisive 50-40 victory over France in Edinburgh. Unfortunately, scan results on Sunday confirmed the severity of his injury. Prior to this, Depoortere had already been ruled out of the upcoming match against England due to his previous calf injury, which sidelined him for rounds two and three against Wales and Italy.
France’s head coach, Fabien Galthie, now faces critical decisions regarding his squad for the final match of the Championship against England at Stade de France. He must determine whether to insert Pau’s Emilien Gailleton directly into Depoortere’s spot or to revamp the entire midfield unit to utilize Gailleton’s club teammate, Fabien Brau-Boirie. The duo from Pau had previously partnered in the earlier matches when injuries to Depoortere and Bordeaux-Begles’ Yoram Moefana forced Galthie to adjust his lineup.
While Galthie may prefer to retain established club partnerships within the midfield, he may also consider changes following France’s unexpected loss, which disrupted their pursuit of a Grand Slam. Currently, France sits atop the Six Nations standings, level on points with Scotland, as they prepare for the final round, where a victory will be crucial if they hope to defend their title.
The injury is particularly significant for Bordeaux, which will strive to defend its Investec Champions Cup title in the upcoming round of 16 against the Leicester Tigers in April. In addition to their European ambitions, Bordeaux is also competing domestically, currently positioned fifth in the Top 14 standings.
Source: Original Source
