DUBLIN (AP) — France’s talismanic captain Antoine Dupont left injured against Ireland in the first half of their Six Nations match on Saturday.
Just minutes after assisting on the only try of the half, Dupont’s right knee was buckled inward in a ruck clearout by Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne.
Asked at halftime about the injury, France coach Fabien Galthie said, “Not good, not good.”
Dupont tried a quick fix with ice to stay on the field but ran out of time and limped off with medical personnel on either shoulder.
He was replaced by fellow scrumhalf Maxime Lucu, the only back in the reserves. That exposed the risk of France’s choice to go with seven reserve forwards and trust no backs were injured in a match that will likely decide the Six Nations title.
No. 8 Gregory Alldritt took over the captaincy.
France was leading 5-0 at the time in the 29th minute, after Dupont’s miss-out pass for a try by wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and France was still leading at halftime, 8-6.
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