There are injury tolls and then there are full-blown medical catastrophes.
Place France closer to the second group ahead of the Test against the All Blacks in Paris on Saturday, not that the tourists are taking their eye off the ball.
No fewer than 16 French Test candidates have been ruled out with injury, many sustained during the gruelling Top 14 domestic competition.
French coach Guy Noves has had to burrow deep into his player stocks to construct a training squad of 46 which will be halved into a Test team on Thursday.
Incredibly, only three French players who started last year’s thriller between the teams in Paris could potentially start this week.
Hooker/captain Guilhem Guirado, and loose forwards Louis Picamoles and Kevin Gourdon were in the starting pack when France threatened an upset before going down 24-19 a year ago.
Two other fit players – halfback Maxime Machenaud and lock Yoann Maestri – have been named among the group of players Noves has already lined up to for the France A side who will face New Zealand on Tuesday in Lyon.
French media have questioned the Test quality of numerous players but flanker Sam Cane says the subject isn’t featuring in the All Blacks’ preparation.
“We’re not getting sucked into any of this injury carry-on,” Cane said.
“Any Frenchman who puts on that blue jersey to play the All Blacks will front.”
New Zealand assistant coach Ian Foster was more empathetic but he compared France’s predicament with that of his own team.
The All Blacks are touring with an enlarged squad to build depth and cater for the loss of several leading players to injury.
“Clearly every country’s got their issues yet you’ve got a lot of quality players here,” Foster said.
“From what we’ve seen, it’s actually exciting times for France.
“You’ve been forced to give a lot of newer, younger players more game time in bigger games.”
Foster says adversity often binds a new group together quickly.
“There will be people out there wearing the Blue jersey who will be very proud and wanting to put their best foot forward.
“We’ve been there and we know what that’s like.”
