Toulouse outside back Ange Capuozzo’s season has come to a premature end after he suffered a broken leg while in action for his club in a Top 14 encounter at the weekend.
The Italy international, who can play at full-back or on the wing, was forced off the field in his club’s shock 42-35 defeat against Perpignan at Stade Aime Giral on Saturday.
Toulouse are setting the pace atop the Top 14 standings with a 12-point lead over their closest rivals – Bordeaux-Begles – while Perpignan are involved in a relegation battle and currently occupy 13th position in the table.
In fine form for Toulouse
Capuozzo, who has already scored 14 tries during Toulouse’s Top 14 campaign, hobbled off the field against Perpignan and after undergoing medical examinations the full extent of his injury was revealed.
Late last month, the 26-year-old was among 10 senior players – who featured for Italy in their last Six Nations Test against Ireland on March 15 – that were rested for their upcoming tour to South Africa.
The Azzurri are set to face the Springboks in two Tests – in Pretoria on July 5 and Gqeberha on July 12.
Capuozzo, prop Simone Ferrari, hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi, locks Dino Lamb and Federico Ruzza, half-backs Martin Page-Relo and Paolo Garbisi, midfielder Juan Ignacio Brex, full-back Tommaso Allan and flanker Michele Lamaro were the players who were not selected in head coach Gonzalo Quesada’s 33-man squad.
Losing Capuozzo is the latest setback for Touluose, who are already without the services of star scrum-half and skipper Antoine Dupont and fellow France international Peato Mauvaka (hooker).
Both Dupont and Mauvaka’s campaigns came to a premature end due to ruptured cruciate ligaments.
Blair Kinghorn set to return to action
However, Les Rouge et Noir received a timely boost when it was revealed that Scottish international Blair Kinghorn has recovered from a knee injury and should return to action as a replacement for Capuozzo.
Toulouse have less than two weeks to prepare for their Top 14 semi-final against either Bayonne or Clermont who meet in the play-offs on Friday.
Meanwhile, the winners of the other play-off encounter – between Toulouse and Castres – will advance to their semi-final where Bordeaux-Begles will be their opponents.
As the two top teams in the Top 14, Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles are the favourites to reach the final and if that occurs the former will be hoping to prevent UBB from emulating their feat of winning the double of the French title and the Investec Championship which they achieved last year.
Bordeaux were crowned Champions Cup winners when they sealed a 28-20 victory over Northampton Saints in the final in Cardiff last month after they ended Toulouse’s reign as champions by beating them in that competition’s semi-finals.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/hammer-blow-for-toulouse-as-ange-capuozzo-ruled-out-for-rest-of-the-season
