Pumas star a doubt for Top 14 play-offs

NEWS: Racing 92’s Argentina wing Juan Imhoff is a doubt for the Top 14 play-offs due to a thigh issue, a source close to the French club told AFP.

Imhoff, 33, who has been included in the Pumas squad for July Tests against Wales, suffered the muscular injury which can take up to a month to recover from, in last weekend’s win at Agen.

He will be sidelined for this Saturday’s home game with Brive, the Parisians’ final match of the regular season.

The six-time league winners are third in the table and have already claimed a play-off spot but can clinch a semifinal place if they better the results of leaders La Rochelle and/or second-placed Toulouse this weekend.

Imhoff made his Test return in last November’s first win over New Zealand after a five-year international absence due to his decision to play abroad.

Argentina face the Six Nations champions in Cardiff on July 10 as well as a week later, and could play a third match in Europe.

Meanwhile, Double Rugby World Cup winner Ma’a Nonu is a doubt for Toulon’s Top 14 trip to Castres this weekend after undergoing surgery for appendicitis, his French club said on Tuesday.

Former New Zealand centre Nonu, 39, returned to Stade Mayol on a short-term deal this season and faces a race to be fit to feature in Saturday’s final game of the regular season.

At Stade Pierre-Fabre Toulon need at least a draw and to better Stade Francais’ result at Bayonne to claim a play-off spot.

“The operation went well,” Toulon said.

“The All Black double world champion will be sidelined for many days,” they added.

Nonu, who lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in 2011 and four years later, left Toulon in 2018 before rejoining former franchise the Blues and then signing for US side San Diego Legion.

He has played 16 games since arriving back on the Mediterranean coast in November, with Toulon in seventh place in the table and just points difference separating the four-time champions and the Parisians in sixth spot.