Lucas is Montpellier's medical joker
Montpellier announced the signing of Australian Ben Lucas Sunday as medical cover for injured France international flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc.
The French Top 14 side made the move as Trinh-Duc is out for between three and four months with a broken leg, suffered last weekend in a league match against Oyonnax.
The versatile Lucas, 26, can play at scrumhalf, flyhalf and fullback.
"He's an Australian who's arriving from the Reds, he's played a few matches at No.10 in Super Rugby as a replacement for Quade Cooper," said Montpellier head coach Fabien Galthie following his side's 30-23 Champions Cup defeat to Toulouse on Sunday.
However, Lucas will not be taking over kicking duties, according to Galthie.
"From what I've seen, he doesn't kick. It was the quickest solution, the most immediate one with advantages and disadvantages."
Young French academy graduate Enzo Selponi stepped into the breach against Toulouse.
Scrumhalves Benoit Paillaugue and Jonathan Pelissie, neither of whom started on Sunday, were the kicking alternatives to Trinh-Duc.
Another scrumhalf Teddy Iribaren kicked against Toulouse with Selponi taking over when the No.9 was in the sin bin.
AFP
