Paul Willemse will have knee surgery next week, his season is over

Montpellier international second line Paul Willemse, who is suffering from a ruptured lateral ligament in his right knee, will undergo surgery next week and is expected to be out for an estimated four months, the Top 14 leader announced on Friday.

The experienced player of the Blues, who passed additional examinations in the middle of the week, thus puts an end to his season. He will not play again until the start of next season with Montpellier, at the top of the championship two days from the end and who will play their European Cup quarter-final on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) against La Rochelle at the Marcel-Deflandre stadium.

No summer tour with the XV of France

Willemse, 29, was injured last Saturday during the defeat (43-20) conceded in Lyon during the 24th day of the Top 14. The French international (24 caps, two tries), of South African origin , will therefore also not participate in the French team’s summer tour of Japan, where the Blues will play two test matches against the “Brave Blossoms” on July 2 and 9.

The powerful “Chelemard” (2.01 m, 128 kg), naturalized since November 2018, has established itself since the arrival of Fabien Galthié at the head of the France team as a basic element of the Blues. He was a starter in the last five games of the Six Nations Tournament, which France won, with the grand slam at stake.