France set to be without key figure for Springboks showdown

INJURY UPDATE: France will have to readjust their plan for the Springboks when the two teams clash later this year.

Les Bleus suffered a major blow, as experienced prop Uini Atonio has been ruled out for up to six months with a hamstring injury, a source told AFP on Thursday.

Atonio, who made the last of his 68 Test appearances in March, suffered the setback during La Rochelle’s Top 14 loss to Pau on Saturday.

The 35-year-old was already expected to be rested for July’s Test series against his native New Zealand.

However, he is now a major doubt for the three November internationals against South Africa, Fiji, and Australia.

The tighthead prop will also be absent for the start of the 2025/2026 club season and will undergo surgery.

Atonio, a powerful scrummager, was a prominent figure during France’s 28–29 defeat to the Springboks in the 2023 World Cup quarterfinal at Stade de France.

The two sides will meet again at the same venue on November 8 during the Springboks’ European tour.

The Boks will face Wales, France, Italy, and Ireland in November.