Two France players go down but Toulouse rule out 'joker'

Toulouse have ruled out the use of a medical joker after they revealed that France prop Cyril Baille will be sidelined, possibly until the new year, with an adductor injury.

Midi Olympique also report that second-row Thibault Flament was seen on crutches at an open training session held at Loudenvielle this week. In the case of the former Wasps, it is reported as a minor sprain.

The injury to Baille is more significant. Fabien Galthie's prized starting loosehead will be out for at least two months. He went under the knife recently but Toulouse have clarified that a medical joker will not - or rather can't - be sought to fill the void.

Instead Stade Toulousain will look to promote from within, with Rodrigue Neti and also David Ainu'u set to step up.

"Regarding Cyril Baille, there is a two or three month delay", team manager Jérôme Cazalbou told Midi Olympique. "It depends a lot on the healing We can't take a joker because the injury is less than three months old.

"And there is also the desire to play our young people. We think of Maxime Duprat who is returning from his loan to Agen. This is an opportunity to see if we can expose him at this level and find out more about his abilities for the future. Obviously there's Rodrigue Neti and also David Ainu'u who had some good games on the left last year."

Maxime Duprat was sent out on loan to Agen last year but the 125kg 24-year-old is seen as a viable option to get game time for the black and reds this season.

Whoever attempts to fill the void, it will be a big task given Baille is regarded as one of the best looseheads in the game.

Elsewhere, Toulouse are also without both flanker Rynhardt Elstadt and back three player Juan Cruz Mallia, who are on international duty with South Africa and Argentina respectively.