France have suffered a major injury blow ahead of their Nations Championship showdown with South Africa, with Romain Ntamack ruled out for the rest of the tournament.
The Toulouse fly-half injured his left shoulder during Saturday's 54-17 victory over Fiji in Lyon.
Ntamack lasted just 34 minutes before being forced off, bringing his long-awaited international reunion with Antoine Dupont to an early end.
And France head coach Fabien Galthié has now confirmed the news supporters were fearing.
Romain Ntamack ruled out
Speaking to French broadcaster TF1 after the match, Galthié confirmed that his first-choice fly-half would miss the remaining Nations Championship fixtures.
"Romain went off with this injury and we won't have him for the rest of the competition," he said.
The 27-year-old will now undergo further assessment to establish the full extent of the damage.
No official recovery timetable has been announced.
It is another frustrating setback for Ntamack, who missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup after suffering a serious knee injury.
France face Springboks selection headache
The timing could hardly be worse for France.
Galthié's side face world champions South Africa on Friday, 13 November.
Ntamack had only just renewed his half-back partnership with Dupont after the pair went 20 months without starting together for France.
His absence leaves Galthié facing a major selection headache, with Matthieu Jalibert also unavailable.
France must now find a replacement for one of their most important players ahead of their meeting with Rassie Erasmus' Springboks.
The injury overshadowed an otherwise impressive performance against Fiji, with France running in nine tries.
But with South Africa waiting, Galthié faces a far tougher challenge without his first-choice number ten.
Five facts about Romain Ntamack
- Age: Born on 1 May 1999 in Toulouse, France.
- Club: Has spent his entire senior club career with Toulouse.
- Family: His father, Émile Ntamack, won 46 caps for France.
- International debut: Made his senior France debut against Wales in the 2019 Six Nations.
- Major setback: Missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
