Hooker Benjamin Kayser is to miss France’s three-test tour of Australia in June because of a neck injury, his club Clermont said on Wednesday.
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The 29-year-old, capped 24 times by France, will undergo surgery on a cervical hernia and will likely be out of action for “several months”, the club said.
Coach Philippe Saint-Andre was already without preferred hooker Dimitri Szarzewski (ankle), and he now has Guilhem Guirado and Christopher Tolofua vying for the number 2 shirt.
France play Australia in Brisbane on 7 June, in Melbourne a week later and then round off their tour in Sydney on 21 June.