France will try to win the Six Nations without its talisman after captain Antoine Dupont ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee at the weekend.

Antoine Dupont has revealed that he ruptured his “cruciate ligaments” during France’s Six Nations win over Ireland, with the scrum half facing a long lay-off. Dupont was carried off after half-an-hour in Dublin after an incident at a ruck involving Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter.

The French talisman hobbled off during Saturday's clash at the Aviva Stadium, with some pointing the finger of blame towards one of Ireland's players.