Ntamack out of World Cup

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World Cup hosts France have suffered a massive blow to their title hopes after playmaker Romain Ntamack was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury.

According to French daily newspaper L’Equipe, Ntamack suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee in the World Cup warm-up against Scotland.

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The 24-year-old scored a first-half try, but was helped off the field after 55 minutes – less than a month before the start of the World Cup – after a collision with opposite number Finn Russell, as France slotted a late penalty to earn a 30-27 win in Saint-Etienne.

A source close to the player told AFP that the injury was severe enough to rule the flyhalf out of the entire World Cup, in a big blow to the tournament hosts.

Bordeaux flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert is likely to step into Ntamack’s position during the World Cup, where France open against New Zealand on 8 September in Paris.

Photo: JEFF PACHOUD / AFP

 

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