Wallaby forward out for at least six months
INJURY UPDATE: La Rochelle’s Australian forward Lopeti Timani will be out for at least six months after rupturing knee ligaments in the European Challenge Cup, the Top 14 club said on Tuesday.
Timani, who has 12 Wallaby caps, suffered the injury on Saturday as La Rochelle thrashed Russian club Enisei 82-21 in Krasnoyarsk.
Doctors in France confirmed the provisional diagnosis by club medical staff when the team returned from Siberia.
The 27-year-old joined La Rochelle from the Melbourne-based Rebels.
Earlier this year, Timani, who is 1.93m tall and weighs 123kg, was left with two black eyes after being attacked by Rebels teammate Amanaki Mafi after a game in New Zealand, reportedly for swearing in front of Mafi’s sister.
Timani told media that he thought he was going to die during the alleged assault.
Agence France-Presse