France captain out for six weeks after elbow

FRANCE rugby captain Jerome Thion, who suffered a fractured larynx during their 26-20 victory over South Africa, will be out for at least six weeks, team doctor Thierry Hermerel said last night.

Biarritz lock Thion, who was hit by an elbow from South African hooker and captain John Smit, will be staying in hospital at Clamart to the south of Paris till Tuesday.

“Tests on Sunday morning have been positive,” said doctor Hermerel. “During the morning he has been regaining his speech and has been able to swallow milk and iced products.”

A decision on whether or not he will need an operation will be taken after a period of observation.

Team manager Jo Maso said he pointed out Smit’s violent act to the citing officer at the match, Australian Denis Wheelahan, who has 50 hours from the kick-off to cite him.

Later yesterday the Springboks camp announced that Smit had been called to a disciplinary hearing in the French capital.

It had been scheduled to take place yesterday but was then put back to Tuesday.

The incident was punished by Australian referee Scot Young with a penalty in the 13th minute. The 27-year-old Thion, who has 21 international caps including three as captain, left the field 11 minutes later.

French officials have also signalled to Wheelahan a wayward knee by Springboks lock Bakkies Botha on Lionel Nallet while he was on the ground just before half-time.

The match result meant that South African coach Jake White’s hopes of ending the year on a high ended disappointingly.

The hosts ran in three tries to the two of the visitors to give the northern hemisphere a rare victory in the autumn tests.

“I am very disappointed not just because we lost but because of the bad start to the match,” said White whose team conceded two tries in the first 11 minutes to Dimitri Szarzewski and Frederic Michalak.

“We committed too many stupid defensive errors that put us under pressure. I told them not to let France get the lead and they didn’t listen to me.

“We have got to stop conceding points at the start of matches and at the death.”

French coach Bernard Laporte said he was proud of his team and their consistency.

“We had a good first half and performed bravely in the second period,” he said.

“I am very proud of the team but we still have work to do. There is work to be done with the physical challenges, they took better ball than us. If we want to be world champions, then we will have to do better,” he said.