France suffer Dusautoir blow

France look set to lose captain Thierry Dusautoir for the Six Nations after he suffered a bicep injury. Toulouse coach Guy Noves has revealed to the French press that the flanker ruptured his bicep during his club's 16-6 Heineken Cup win over Zebre on Saturday. Those reports are yet to be officially confirmed by the French national team coaches, but should they prove to be correct then the 32-year-old will likely require surgery. L'Equipequoted Noves as saying that Dusautoir had suffered a "rupture of a tendon of the right bicep", adding that "he will be out four months". The news comes as a blow to France coach Philippe Saint-Andre, who is due to cut his preliminary 30-man squad to 23 players ahead of the start of the tournament. France open their campaign against England at the Stade de France on February 1, before a home clash with Italy the following week.