And this, as a safety measure for him and the other players.
The XV of France waits in anguish for news from its captain and playing master Anthony Dupont whose jaw fracture raises fears of a package which would be a terrible blow for the hosts of the 2023 World Cup.
The scrum half came off in the 46th minute of the easily won match against Namibia on Thursday evening in Marseille (96-0), after being hit violently on the head by Namibian center and captain Johan Deysel.
He returned to Toulouse to consult specialists, including Frédéric Lauwers, specialist in maxillofacial and facial plastic surgery, and decide in particular to have to operate or not. “Specialized surgical advice was requested to precisely define the duration of unavailability”specified the French Rugby Federation (FFR).
If there is no displacement, these are fractures “which are relatively, I mean relatively, benign and which take about fifteen days, three weeks at most”, explains to AFP Doctor Bernard Dusfour, former president of the medical commission of the National Rugby League (LNR). “If it’s out of place, it often requires surgery.“and the minimum unavailability for a high-level athlete is then”four weeks“, he continues. Which would not allow a return only in the semi-final at best.
Fracture of Antoine Dupont: Operation planned for the captain of the Blues who consulted this Friday to hope for a return to the semi-finalhttps://t.co/XOAmDNc6Z0
— Michaël (@PSGInna) September 22, 2023
“Any equipment, such as masks, containing rigid materials […] is generally not permitted”
A return to the field which will have to be done without a “rigid mask” to protect your face. The regulations of World Rugby, the international body which manages rugby union, simply prohibit the wearing of such equipment.
“Any equipment containing rigid materials […] is generally not allowed. […] Devices such as masks, hearing aids, prostheses and heart rate monitors worn on the chest (among others) may not be worn during matches by any player.”is it written in black and white on the World Rugby website.
And this is for security reasons. “Rigid materials that do not meet a specific performance specification may increase the risk for the wearer or other players (teammates and/or opponents)”.