Montpellier (AFP)

Entry stoppage: the former captain of the XV of France Guilhem Guirado badly began his adventure in Montpellier with which he was a victim of a bicep break in his first match Saturday in Toulon, his former club left after a failed season.

The former international (33 years, 74 selections), will be operated in the coming days of a break in the biceps and will be unavailable for a period of five months.

The former hooker Toulon (2014-2019) and Perpignan (2006-2014) was injured in his former stronghold of Mayol before being replaced in the 58th minute by the young Yuri Delhommel during the match of the championship three weeks after the elimination of the Blues in the quarter-finals of the World Cup against Wales (20-19).

Guirado is going through a difficult transition as he enters the final stretch of his career in his new club, where he has committed for a three-year term.

"The two weeks after the elimination have been tricky and difficult to manage." "Play gives you new goals." I arrived at the beginning of the week quite motivated and quite fresh, "he said at his first conference. at the MHR, where he will play a leading role alongside the other former Blues Louis Picamoles and Fulgence Ouedraogo.

- Japan, a raging end -

The former captain of the France team has completed his international career during a contrasting World, between collective frustration and personal challenge.

Since the last Six Nations Tournament, his role as captain has been challenged by the staff of the France team. For example, Bordeaux's Pier Jefferson Poirot reportedly refused to assume the captain's responsibility and ensure his succession before the end of his career.

In addition, he was faced with the fierce competition of the young hooker Racing 92 Camille Chat during the World Cup, where he started only two of the four games of the Blues.

Finally, the quarter-final elimination against the Welsh in a meeting marked by the exclusion of the second line of Clermont Sebastien Vahaamahina leaves a bitter taste and symbolizes four black seasons of the Blues.

International since 2008, passed from number 3 to number 1 in the hierarchy of hookers, Guirado was chosen as captain by former coach Guy Novès in the wake of the elimination in the quarter-finals of the World Cup-2015.

Four years later, the Catalan goes to the same stage, but with a dirty label in the back: that of the French captain who has experienced the least victories in the professional era (38%) ...

"I hope and I feel that we ate our black bread with these losses little and painful.But I remain the first supporter of the XV of France," he said at the evening of failure against the Welsh .

© 2019 AFP