Bok hooker out with neck injury
INJURY UPDATE: South African hooker Bismarck du Plessis has joined Montpellier’s growing list of casualties.
He underwent surgery on a neck injury that will sideline him for up to two months.
Top 14 side Montpellier are already without a clutch of key players – including South Africans Francois Steyn, Johan Goosen, Henry Immelman and Jacques Du Plessis.
The southern coast side said Bismarck Du Plessis, 34, would be sidelined for “between six and eight weeks” – following surgery on a cervical disc herniation, meaning a return to action in December.
The Springbok, who earned 79 Test caps for South Africa and has been pivotal to Montpellier’s pack since joining the club in 2015, will be replaced by either Vincent Guidicelli or Romain Ruffenach.
Montpellier is also currently without Georgian Konstantin Mikautadze (arm), Julien Bardy (shoulder), Yacouba Camara (knee) and Fijian pair Timoci Nagusa (thigh) and Nemani Nadolo (knee).
Coach Vern Cotter, meanwhile, welcomed Fulgence Ouedraogo and South African Paul Willemse back to training after the pair sat out the 20-25 defeat to Stade Francais last week.
Montpellier, who sit seventh in Top 14 nine points behind leaders Clermont, host Racing 92 on Sunday.
Agence France-Presse
