Jauzion injury worries persist

CENTRE Yannick Jauzion is set to miss the rest of France's RBS 6 Nations campaign as he continues his recovery from a broken toe.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury during Toulouse's Top 14 victory over Pau at the end of January but was expected to miss only Les Bleus' games against Scotland and Ireland.

Jauzion's rehabilitation has been slower than anticipated, however, and he is definitely out of this weekend's clash with Italy. He now admits the matches against England and Wales next month are also likely to come too soon - and he has targeted Toulouse's meeting against Perpignan on March 18 as his comeback game.

"I've had two to three weeks of recovery time, but it will need more time," he said. "The England game on March 12 will come too soon, and I will not be able to put myself forward for the Wales game on March 18 after being out of action for six weeks."

Jauzion, arguably the world's leading centre, should be available for Toulouse's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster in early April.

Les Bleus coach Bernard Laporte, meanwhile, is sweating on the availability of captain Fabien Pelous for Saturday's game against Italy. The lock has a stomach bug. His fitness will be reassessed today, the day Laporte and manager Jo Maso announce their line-up for the Italy match.