France's lock stocks have taken another significant hit after Thibaud Flament confirmed he will require shoulder surgery and miss the entire November Nations Championship campaign, joining his Toulouse teammate Emmanuel Meafou on the injured list.
Flament announced the news on Instagram, writing that he expects to be sidelined for several months and will not return until 2027. Meafou was already ruled out for the same period, meaning Fabien Galthié goes into next month's four-match programme without his first-choice lock pairing.
France's November schedule includes pool matches against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa on November 13, as well as a potential final. The Springbok fixture in particular represented one of the standout matches of the Nations Championship calendar.
With both Toulouse giants unavailable, Galthié's options in the second row thin considerably. Lyon's Mickael Guillard and Australia-born Tom Staniforth are the most likely candidates to step up, with the 36-year-old Romain Taofifenua also available as an experienced alternative.