France tour to Australia
Szarzewski out for three months
ESPN Staff
April 15, 2014
Dimitri Szarzewski has been struggling with an ankle injury since March © Getty Images
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France will be unable to call on Dimitri Szarzewski for their summer tour to Australia after the hooker had an operation on his ankle.

Szarzewski underwent surgery on Monday and is likely to be out for three months, meaning he will miss the end of the Top 14 season.

The news will come as a blow to both France head coach Philippe Saint-Andre and to Szarzewski's club Racing Metro, who are challenging for a play-off spot in the Top 14.

France endured a terrible run of luck with their hookers during the Six Nations, with Saint-Andre forced to resort to third choice Brice Mach after injuries to both Szarzewski and Benjamin Kayser. The French lineout notably fell apart against Scotland and Saint-Andre will be frustrated at losing the experienced Szarzewski for yet another Test series.

Kayser, Mach and Perpignan's Guilhem Guirado are likely to be selected for the tour, but none of them boasts the 79 caps amassed by Szarzewski in an international career stretching back to 2004.

Szarzewski tweeted: "The operation went very well. Thank you all for your messages of support and encouragement."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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