DUBLIN, Ireland — Fabien Galthié fears Antoine Dupont has suffered a serious knee injury, and condemned the incident which led to the French captain being forced off in the first half of France’s 42-27 win against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Dupont, widely regarded as the world’s best player, was forced off in the 29th minute with a knee injury. He was visibly upset, with replacement scrum-half Maxime Lucu saying Dupont was in tears in the changing room.
Dupont sustained the injury as Andrew Porter and Tadhg Beirne cleared him out at a ruck. Beirne fell on Dupont’s knee, and Dupont’s knee buckled.
Simon Easterby, the Ireland interim head coach, described it as a “rugby incident” but post-match, Galthié was furious. Galthié also turned attention on Ireland wing Calvin Nash, for his illegal hit on Pierre-Louis Barassi in the second half which led to Nash getting a yellow card, and Barassi forced off.
“There is a suspicion of a quite serious knee injury to Antoine,” Galthié said. “He is suffering — let’s say it how it is. I don’t want to go into details, mainly due to medical confidentiality. We have cited two players — Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter — in our post-match report. We have highlighted [Calvin] Nash to the citing commissioner for [the incident with] Pierre-Louis Barassi, who did not respond well to the HIA protocol. We had players who never came back on.
“We are angry and we want an explanation; so, we have cited two players. We must protect our players. There are rules, regulations … there’s a sort of anger.
“I do not want to pass judgement on the quality of refereeing today.”
Galthié added to France 2 TV: “We feel bad for [Antoine]. In terms of the action, in my opinion it was reprehensible, and there are ways to study and analyse it. We feel for him today. He is suffering and we are suffering with him.”
Lucu said: “Antoine’s injury hurt us a little, we had to pick up the torch … We know what Antoine gives to the group. We had to pay him a little tribute, we saw him in tears in the locker room.”
Easterby was asked about the incident, and said there was no intention of foul play. “Tadhg [Beirne] cleans out someone in front of Antoine Dupont and he gets hit off the back of it. It happens, unfortunately,” Easterby said.
“Players have a real awareness now of clearing out on the lower limb of the player, which can create that type of injury, but that wasn’t the case. He was securing his own ball and not making contact on Dupont. Unfortunately that happens. It’s just one of those things unfortunately. It happens in the game.”
1:05
Sexton wins it at the death for Ireland
Relive three classic Six Nations games between Ireland and France ahead of their crucial match in Dublin this weekend.
– Six Nations grades: England show progress; Wales get F
– Lions watch: Is Sam Prendergast pushing Finn Russell at No. 10?
– Who could replace Warren Gatland as Wales head coach?
– WATCH: Relive some of Six Nations’ classic games
– Six Nations and Women’s Six Nations: Full fixture list
– British & Irish Lions 2025: Australia tour fixtures
