Injured Michalak, Peyrelongue cause French first-five crisis

PARIS - France's two first choice first five-eighths Frederic Michalak and Julien Peyrelongue could miss next year's Six Nations rugby championship through injuries suffered last weekend in European Cup matches.

Michalak limped off with an ankle injury in the 10th minute of Stade Toulouse's 25-12 win over Northampton on Saturday while Peyrelongue was replaced half an hour into Biarritz's 48-17 victory at Calvisano because of a knee injury.

Both players had scans on Monday. Biarritz said today that Peyrelongue had damaged right knee ligaments and would be sidelined for at least two months.

Toulouse team doctor Albert Sadaca added that Michalak could also be out for up to eight weeks.

"There are no broken bones and no ligament damage but Michalak's sprain is serious. He will have to rest for at least four weeks and full recovery could even take up to eight weeks," said Sadaca.

Michalak, 22, has been France coach Bernard Laporte's first-choice No 10 since the 2003 World Cup.

Peyrelongue was Michalak's understudy during last season's Six Nations. He started against New Zealand on November 27 as Michalak switched to halfback to replace the injured Jean-Baptiste Elissalde.

The first five-eighth position has been one of Laporte's main worries since he became the France coach after the 1999 World Cup.

Laporte, who is under pressure to test new players after his team lost to Argentina and New Zealand last month, said there were few candidates for the jersey.

Among the players he named were David Skrela and Brian Liebenberg, who both play for Stade Francais, Benjamin Boyet (Bourgoin), Yann Delaigue (Castres) and Ludovic Mercier (Pau).

France open the defence of their Six Nations title against Scotland in Paris on February 5.

- REUTERS