Six Nations: France Injury Update

Talented young France scrumhalf Antoine Dupont's season is over due to a knee injury suffered against Ireland, national team coach Jacques Brunel told AFP on Sunday.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert, who made his debut in Saturday's dramatic 15-13 Six Nations defeat, will likely miss the rest of the tournament, also with a knee injury.

Dupont, 20, suffered a ruptured ligament during a nine-minute cameo on Saturday, while Jalibert has a partially torn ligament.

"He will be out for a minimum of one month, perhaps two," said Brunel of Jalibert.

The Bordeaux No 10 could be fit again for France's final two tournament matches, at home to England on March 10 and away to Wales a week later.

Back-row forward Kevin Gourdon will be out for up to a month after twisting an ankle against Ireland, meaning he will certainly miss next week's trip to Scotland and possibly also the clash with Italy in Marseille on February 23.

Centre Henry Chavancy has been passed fit, though, after a suspicion of an ankle injury and fractured eyebrow bone. Veteran Lyon flyhalf Lionel Beauxis was called up on Sunday evening as replacement for Jalibert.

Dupont's replacement is Beauxis's uncapped club team-mate Baptiste Couilloud, another 20-year-old and after been surprisingly dropped from Brunel's original group, Louis Picamoles was recalled to fill in for Gourdon.

Former Toulouse and Northampton No 8 Picamoles responded to his France snub with an impressive performance in French Top 14 leaders Montpellier's 30-29 win at champions Clermont last week.