South African prop Schalk Van der Merwe will miss Saturday’s Top 14 trip to Toulon due to a dislocated shoulder, his club Montpellier said on Monday.
The 24-year-old former Golden Lions front rower is due to spend three months on the sidelines after injuring himself in training last week, missing the visit of Toulouse last Saturday.
But there is better news for Montpellier as fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc is set to return against the reigning three-time European champions.
Trinh-Duc dislocated his shoulder during the 30-19 win at Grenoble just over two weeks ago and missed the 24-19 win at home to leaders Clermont, as well as Saturday’s 33-25 defeat by record four-time European champions Toulouse.
“I started training again on Monday, I’ll be tested during the week,” said the 28-year-old, who didn’t make France’s World Cup squad.
During his absence, South African Demetri Catrakilis and Ben Lucas of Australia donned the no.10 jersey.
Montpellier come into the fixture in fourth place and six points behind leaders Clermont while Toulon are eighth and 11 points off the top.
France international forwards Fulgence Ouedraogo, a flanker, and prop Nicolas Mas, as well as Georgian prop Misha Nariashvili, all of whom played at the World Cup, have been given a week off and will not feature against Toulon.