Meafou injured on the last play, out for up to three months

Toulouse lose their international lock at the worst possible moment, with Clément Vergé already out until the spring.

A hit without arms, on the final play

It happened at the very end of Vannes v Toulouse, on Saturday 19 September at the Roazhon Park, with the French champions leading 29-23. Sent through by Juan Cruz Mallia, Emmanuel Meafou ran at the Vannes defence. South African prop Nick Schonert, on since the 76th minute, went in low without wrapping his arms and struck his left knee.

Our data shows that no card was issued after the 58th minute in that match, the last being a yellow for Vannes’ Ben Stevenson. On the pitch, Rodrigue Neti went after the tackler and Antoine Dupont stepped in to calm things down.

Ten weeks, which means ten Toulouse matches

According to La Dépêche, which broke the story, the injury is more serious than a muscle problem and the absence could reach ten weeks, close to two and a half months, with no return before December. L’Équipe, citing AFP, confirms he is out of Sunday’s home game against Montpellier and says the exact timeframe will be known next week after further scans.

If that estimate holds, the absence covers ten Stade Toulousain fixtures, from Montpellier on Sunday to the trip to Stade Français on 19 December, taking in the Champions Cup opener against Exeter on 18 October and the trip to the Lions on 12 December.

France’s four matches too

France are hit just as hard. The November camp opens on 25 October, and Les Bleus host Fiji on 7 November, South Africa on the 13th and Argentina on the 21st, before the Nations Championship placing weekend at Twickenham.

Meafou has 18 caps. He had played all three opening rounds of the Top 14 for Toulouse.

A second row already stretched

The timing is cruel for two reasons. The first is contractual: Meafou extended until 2032 last week, having turned down an offer from Stade Français.

The second is sporting. Clément Vergé, Toulouse’s other lock, has a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and is not expected back before the spring. He has not played a minute this season. Toulouse are therefore looking for a medical joker, in a market where players of that size are scarce.