Montpellier return to training on Monday 3 August with two notable absentees: Lenni Nouchi and Gabriel Ngandebe, whose diagnoses were revealed by Midi Libre.

Injured in the ankle during the final match of the Nations Championship against Japan, which he left around the hour mark, Lenni Nouchi has ligament damage. Good news for the MHR captain: surgery will not be needed. He is expected back between the end of September and the start of October, which will still rule him out of the Top 14 opener on 5 September against Section Paloise. The back-rower was coming off the best season of his career, capped by a Top 14 final and two big performances with France. The verdict is far heavier for Gabriel Ngandebe: hurt in the final against Toulouse, the winger has ruptured his Achilles tendon. He has been operated on and faces at least six months out, with no return expected before 2027. A blow after a campaign of 10 tries in which he started 27 of the 28 matches he played. The arrival of Dimitri Delibes should help Joan Caudullo cover the gap.