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France duo out for the season
By Peter Thompson
Matthieu Jalibert and Antoine Dupont have been ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining serious knee injuries in France's Six Nations defeat to Ireland.
Teenage fly-half Jalibert limped off in the first half of Les Bleus' 15-13 opening-day loss at Stade de France after being handed a debut by Jacques Brunel.
Jalibert sustained a partial tear to his posterior cruciate ligament and faces a lengthy absence, bringing his first professional campaign to a premature end.
Lionel Beauxis has been called up as a replacement and could win his first cap in six years against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Scrum-half Dupont suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament that will keep him out of action until next season, while back-row Kevin Gourdon will be missing for around three weeks due to an ankle injury.
France head coach Brunel has also added the uncapped Baptiste Couilloud and number eight Louis Picamoles to his depleted squad.
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Yet Ethan Blackadder was one of our best against the World Champion Springbok. When he came back to the Crusaders later in the season , he made a huge difference, ( a long with others like Codie Taylor), we nearly made the Play Off's. Ethan has plenty of rugby left in him. His family , Dad Todd Blackadder must be very [proud of him. Todd Blackadder was a 3 time champion captain of the Crusaders, '98, '99 and 2000.An icon in this area. Also twice captain of Canterbury , '97 and 2001 when we won the NPC and Ranfurly Shield winning captain in 2000.
Go to commentsIt's the same criticism of Dmac and Mo'unga as well. Sadly the way the game has been heading recently it's the only way to break down a defence, and a player of Lawrences nature would have a very limited chance at doing that because he's too one dimensional.
Noah Lolesio is your sort of player and that worked OK, but only because his team is far more creative than Englands for example. The highly organized Irish attack was also another that didn't require much from the 10, but that is now changing with Prendergast who is in that league mold like the most new age 10's.
So it is in fact your two which would require even more change to make the most of than Marcus Smith.
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