France fly-half Romain Ntamack has been ruled out of next month's Rugby World Cup with a knee injury, a source close to the player told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Monday, August 14.
Ntamack, 24, suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee during Saturday's 30-27 warm-up victory for the tournament hosts against Scotland, French sports daily L'Equipe reported. Ntamack scored the first try as France beat Scotland 30-27 in a warmup match for the World Cup on Saturday. But he was helped off the field after 55 minutes after opposite number Finn Russell charged into him.
France coach Fabien Galthié, who will announce his World Cup squad on August 21, had seemed unworried after the match, saying the Toulouse player had suffered "a small hyperextension of the knee."
"It was better to replace him. He was seen by the doctor, the physiotherapists, and we will decide on Sunday if there needs to be additional examinations," he said after the match.
Bordeaux fly-half Matthieu Jalibert is likely to step into Ntamack's position during the World Cup, where France opens against New Zealand on September 8 in Paris.
Galthié named his 42-man Rugby World squad on June 21. He will reduce the squad to 33 on August 21 for the sport's quadrennial showpiece, which runs until October 28.
Galthié remained loyal to the squad that secured the 2022 Six Nations Grand Slam last year and finished runners-up last season. But the former France captain selected four uncapped players: center Emilien Gailleton, wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey, backrow forward Paul Boudehent and prop Thomas Laclayat. Laclayat was the surprise amongst the quartet as he played second-tier rugby last season with now-promoted Oyonnax.