The bad news keeps piling up for Fabien Galthié and his staff. On Wednesday 24 September, Section Paloise announced that their wing or full-back Théo Attissogbe would be out for three to four months. The brilliant back has a sprained medial collateral ligament in a knee and will have surgery in the coming days. The player, developed at Peyrehorade in the Landes, was injured during his side’s heavy defeat last weekend at Clermont.

France will therefore also have to do without Attissogbe, who has been excellent every time he has worn the blue jersey. His absence adds to that of another wing, Toulon’s Gabin Villière, also out until November.

Every season, Section Paloise are unlucky with the sheer number of injuries. Attissogbe’s hurts a great deal, even if Sébastien Piqueronnies and the Béarn staff can count on the versatility of players such as Aymeric Luc, Thomas Carol and Jack Maddocks.