Parra out of Six Nations opener
France have been hit by the news that they will likely be without scrum-half Morgan Parra for February's Six Nations opener against England.
The 25-year-old ruptured the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Sunday's 19-10 defeat to South Africa at the Stade de France.
That loss against the Springboks left France with just one win from their three November Internationals, an unconvincing 38-18 triumph over Tonga.
Phillipe Saint-Andre's side will be desperate to atone for a disastrous 2013 Six Nations campaign, in which they finished bottom of the table for the first time since 1999.
But they will have to cope without star scrum-half Parra, who has scored 320 points in 54 Tests, when they run out against England in Paris on February 1.
Parra's club side, Clermont Auvergne said in a statement: "After being withdrawn in the 67th minute of the match between France and South Africa, and complaining of pain in the knee, Morgan Parra spent the evening undergoing medical examinations which have detected a rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament of the left knee.
"The scrum-half does not require surgery, but is forced into a period of 10 to 12 weeks without competition.
"His return will not be considered until the first half of February."
Italy were also dealt a blow for the Six Nations, as centre Gonzalo Canale will miss the whole tournament as he recovers from a broken leg.
Canale sustained the injury in Saturday's hard-fought 19-14 defeat to Argentina and will spend the next six months on the sidelines.
The 25-year-old ruptured the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Sunday's 19-10 defeat to South Africa at the Stade de France.
That loss against the Springboks left France with just one win from their three November Internationals, an unconvincing 38-18 triumph over Tonga.
Phillipe Saint-Andre's side will be desperate to atone for a disastrous 2013 Six Nations campaign, in which they finished bottom of the table for the first time since 1999.
But they will have to cope without star scrum-half Parra, who has scored 320 points in 54 Tests, when they run out against England in Paris on February 1.
Parra's club side, Clermont Auvergne said in a statement: "After being withdrawn in the 67th minute of the match between France and South Africa, and complaining of pain in the knee, Morgan Parra spent the evening undergoing medical examinations which have detected a rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament of the left knee.
"The scrum-half does not require surgery, but is forced into a period of 10 to 12 weeks without competition.
"His return will not be considered until the first half of February."
Italy were also dealt a blow for the Six Nations, as centre Gonzalo Canale will miss the whole tournament as he recovers from a broken leg.
Canale sustained the injury in Saturday's hard-fought 19-14 defeat to Argentina and will spend the next six months on the sidelines.
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