Top 14 – USAP: Jacobus van Tonder and Jake McIntyre should not play again before 2025

The bad news is piling up for USAP. After losing their second row Posolo Tuilagi, operated on for a fractured tibia fibula and out for around five months, the blood and gold staff has two new serious injuries.

The injury of Jacobus van Tonder, released at 39^e minute, is much more serious than expected. The third row suffers from a ruptured ligament in his left knee, and is expected to miss 3 to 4 months of competition. It’s a big blow for the player who has not been spared from injuries in recent seasons, notably the previous year with a rupture of the right pectoral muscle and two concussions. It’s also a hard blow for USAP because the South African was the man at the start of the season, including a huge defensive performance in Castres with 29 successful tackles.

Jake McIntyre, too, should not play again before 2025. David Marty seemed rather reassuring on Saturday after the match. But the injury to number 10 is ultimately more important. It’s not just a blow to the shoulder that the Australian suffered, as he suffers from a ruptured pectoral muscle. Like Bruce Devaux two weeks ago. Which means McIntyre is expected to be sidelined for several months, as he could have surgery this week. In this position, the staff can now count, fortunately, on Antoine Aucagne, while Tommaso Allan will also be able to help out in his preferred position.

The infirmary is overflowing

USAP, which was rather spared from injuries at the start of the season, has been taking a beating for several weeks. Winger Théo Forner returned from the Olympic Games with a ruptured cruciate ligament and will be absent until at least March-April. Then left pillar Bruce Devaux suffered a ruptured pectoral muscle against Montpellier and his absence is estimated between 3 and 4 months. Same duration, suddenly, for Jacobus van Tonder, Jake McIntyre, but also for the center Job Poulet who ruptured a tendon in a finger. Without forgetting, obviously, Posolo Tuilagi who has 5 to 6 months, and center Alivereti Duguivalu who will not play again before November, he who is injured in his calf.

If we add the physical problems of left pillars Giorgi Beria and Giorgi Tetrashvili, right pillar Nemo Roelofse, second row Mathieu Tanguy, third row Patrick Sobela, winger Ali Crossdale and fullback Tommaso Allan, that’s a lot too much. The staff hopes to be able to count on some of them against Pau on Saturday (4:30 p.m.), but nothing is certain yet.

It is therefore a very, very decimated workforce, which will compete in the next USAP elections. But this group has recently proven that it has resources. He will have to show it more than ever. Because long injuries like this for several players in such a short time are not necessarily easy to manage.

In any case, for the moment, the club has not announced that it is looking for a medical joker. The staff is counting on the players already in place, while awaiting the probable arrival of New Zealander Max Hicks, versatile second and third row. Problem: he also currently has an ankle injury…