Top 14: Aviron Bayonnais may be deprived of Tatafu for the final sprint

Bayonne right-back Tevita Tatafu, who injured his ankle on the final day in Vannes, is expected to be out for several weeks, a blow for Aviron, who are fighting for qualification and are reluctant to talk about the end of their season. Like fly-half and soon-to-be-retired Camille Lopez, who also suffered a hamstring strain against the Bretons two weeks ago, Tevita Tatafu is out of Aviron's trip to Castres.

The new French international is suffering from a left ankle injury and his unavailability has been set at between four and six weeks, knowing that he has already used two. " It's a little more delicate ," says manager Grégory Patat. "It would be premature to talk about the end of the season (for Tatafu). With this type of profile, you never know. They have resources that we don't know about, sometimes faster recovery times. For the moment, his injury is progressing well."

" I would never put a player on the pitch who is not 100% fit ," Patat also recalled. "I don't want any danger to his physical integrity. If there is the slightest hesitation, he won't play. From experience, a weakened player in the final phase is too dangerous, because it hits very hard."

In his absence, Fijian Luke Tagi will start in the match against Castres on Saturday, while South African Pieter Scholtz will come on as a substitute. Bayonne, currently 4th in the Top 14, can secure their first qualification for the play-offs in the final two matches of the regular season.