Maxime Machenaud now knows the nature of his injury. Badly hurt against Pau last weekend, the Bayonne scrum-half is in fact suffering from a partial rupture of a ligament in his right knee. He will be out for three to four months. Having left the field in tears, the France international had feared a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. More fear than harm, then.

On Monday evening, Machenaud saluted the messages of encouragement and support he has received on social media in recent days. “It gives me even more strength“, he stressed.

“One thing will not change: my determination. Whatever my injury, however long it takes, I will be back. Stronger and always with the same passion“, wrote Maxime Machenaud.

At 36, the former Agen and Racing 92 player will not be hanging up his boots just yet, feeling as he does that he is still in good shape in both mind and body. As he mentioned in another Instagram story, he can also count on the priceless support of his three children and his wife.