France centre Jonathan Danty is a doubt to face the All Blacks in next week’s World Cup opener due to a hamstring injury, the French Rugby Federation has announced.
La Rochelle’s Danty, 30, will undergo further tests over the coming days before the hosts play New Zealand on 8 September.
Danty won his 23rd Test cap on Sunday, scoring in the warm-up win over Australia, and has become a leading figure for Les Bleus under Fabien Galthie.
“After the France game against Australia, Jonathan Danty underwent extra tests which showed a slight problem with his hamstring,” the FFR stated on Wednesday.
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“Next week, a training schedule will be adapted to his situation.”
A bulldozing midfielder, Danty could be replaced in the starting lineup by Bordeaux-Begles’ Yoram Moefana or Arthur Vincent of Montpellier.
France are already without flyhalf Romain Ntamack for the tournament due to a serious knee injury, and tighthead prop Cyril Baille for at least their first two games with a calf strain.
After playing the Kiwis, the French face Uruguay, Namibia and Italy in Pool A.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP