Toulouse, who’re on a seemingly unstoppable march in the direction of a second successive Top 14 and Champions Cup double, have determined to not use a medical joker to exchange Antoine Dupont for the remainder of the season.
Dupont, 28, will miss the remainder of the marketing campaign after rupturing cruciate ligaments throughout France’s Six Nations match in opposition to Ireland in Dublin, and Toulouse have been linked with a sequence of potential replacements.
Montpellier’s South African-born Australian Ryan Louwrens, who hasn’t performed since December, and Wallabies and Waratahs star Jake Gordon, who just lately turned down a transfer to Exeter Chiefs, had been two of the names floated.
Then, on April Fools’ Day, Yokohama Canon Eagles and Springbok ace Faf de Klerk, Highlanders All Blacks star Aaron Smith, and Stade Francais veteran Rory Kockott had been all touted for strikes to Les Rouge et Noir.
Nevertheless, the main French publication Midi Olympique has acknowledged that no person can be arriving at Stade Ernest-Wallon to exchange the France captain, who’s more likely to miss not less than six months.
Toulouse, who’ve gained 4 of the final 5 High 14 titles, are 5 factors away from Bordeaux Begles on the summit of the desk this season, they usually entertain Sale Sharks within the final 16 of the Champions Cup on Sunday.
As a substitute of bringing in a medical joker, they’ve backed Paul Graou to step into Dupont’s footwear, with Naoto Saito, Nathan Llaveria, and Simon Baroque set to come back off the bench.
The fallout of Dupont’s harm, which was brought on when Eire lock Tadhg Beirne fell on his leg at a ruck, remains to be being felt, with recriminations ongoing. Eire prop Andrew Porter has denied any foul play.
“He [Galthie] can say what he needs, see how far it will get him. I knew what I did. I didn’t exit to attempt to injure anybody. That’s not the kind of participant I’m,” Porter wrote on Instagram.
