Paul Jedrasiak suffers season ending knee injury

Clermont and French international second-row Paul Jedrasiak has suffered a season-ending knee injury that will require surgery next week ruling him out of action for up to six months.

The Clermont veteran was a second-half replacement for Arthur Iturria in Saturday's final Top 14 fixture against Toulouse, he played 40 minutes making seven tackles on the night before injury struck.

As Jacques Brunel prepares France to tour New Zealand this summer, the absence of Jedrasiak alongside fellow back-row Louis Picamoles and Racing 92 duo talisman Maxime Machenaud (knee) and Virimi Vakatawa (groin) comes as a bitter blow to their hopes of defeating the All Blacks over three Test matches.

Les Jaunards have disappointed this season finishing the regular season in 9th position, missing the all-important end of season play-offs after only winning 11 matches from 26 rounds of play. The injury depleted squad saw them use a record of 55 players during the season.