France Cites Ireland Players Following Antoine Dupont's Knee Injury
Injuries mar pivotal Six Nations match as France's captain faces uncertain recovery.
France has formally cited Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter of Ireland for their alleged involvement in a significant knee injury to captain Antoine Dupont during their recent Six Nations match held on Saturday.
The injury occurred in the 29th minute of the game, when Dupont's right knee buckled as Ireland executed a ruck clearance.
He was forced to leave the field with medical staff assisting him after showing visible signs of discomfort.
Despite the absence of their key player, France secured a 42-27 victory over Ireland.
France's head coach, Fabien Galthie, expressed concern regarding the severity of Dupont's injury, hinting that it may be serious while refraining from discussing specifics due to medical confidentiality.
"Antoine is suffering and we are suffering with him," stated Galthie.
The citations also extend to Calvin Nash, who was involved in an incident affecting Pierre-Louis Barassi, who did not pass the concussion protocol following a head-on-head tackle.
Nash received a yellow card for his conduct during the match.
Galthie stressed the importance of player safety, stating, "We want to protect our players.
There are rules; we need to understand."
In response, Ireland's interim coach, Simon Easterby, characterized Dupont's injury as a typical occurrence in rugby.
He acknowledged that while Tadhg Beirne was involved in a clean-out, it was an unfortunate event within the context of the sport.
Dupont had earlier contributed to a try by Louis Bielle-Biarrey in the first half before being substituted, with Maxime Lucu stepping in effectively.
The injury raises questions about Dupont's fitness for the upcoming match against Scotland in Paris, which is crucial for France's title aspirations in the ongoing tournament.
The injury occurred in the 29th minute of the game, when Dupont's right knee buckled as Ireland executed a ruck clearance.
He was forced to leave the field with medical staff assisting him after showing visible signs of discomfort.
Despite the absence of their key player, France secured a 42-27 victory over Ireland.
France's head coach, Fabien Galthie, expressed concern regarding the severity of Dupont's injury, hinting that it may be serious while refraining from discussing specifics due to medical confidentiality.
"Antoine is suffering and we are suffering with him," stated Galthie.
The citations also extend to Calvin Nash, who was involved in an incident affecting Pierre-Louis Barassi, who did not pass the concussion protocol following a head-on-head tackle.
Nash received a yellow card for his conduct during the match.
Galthie stressed the importance of player safety, stating, "We want to protect our players.
There are rules; we need to understand."
In response, Ireland's interim coach, Simon Easterby, characterized Dupont's injury as a typical occurrence in rugby.
He acknowledged that while Tadhg Beirne was involved in a clean-out, it was an unfortunate event within the context of the sport.
Dupont had earlier contributed to a try by Louis Bielle-Biarrey in the first half before being substituted, with Maxime Lucu stepping in effectively.
The injury raises questions about Dupont's fitness for the upcoming match against Scotland in Paris, which is crucial for France's title aspirations in the ongoing tournament.
