Toulouse title hopes hit by Capuozzo season-ending injury

Toulouse, France: Dynamic Italian back Ange Capuozzo on Tuesday was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a broken left fibula dealing another serious blow to Toulouse´s hopes of retaining their Top 14 title.

The 26-year-old -- equally adept at wing as at full-back -- had to be helped off the pitch in the second-half of table-topping Toulouse´s surprise defeat by relegation-threatened Perpignan in their final regular season match last Saturday.

Subsequent medical examinations confirmed the gravity of the injury that will keep Capuozzo -- who had scored 14 tries this term -- on the sidelines for several months.

Toulouse have already been deprived of superstar captain Antoine Dupont and French international hooker Peato Mauvaka, both of whose campaigns were ended by ruptured cruciate ligaments.

Fortunately for Toulouse, Scottish international Blair Kinghorn is ready to return to action after recovering from a knee injury and is a ready-made replacement for Capuozzo. Toulouse have just under two weeks to prepare for their Top 14 semi-final in Lyon -- they will face either Bayonne or Clermont who meet in the play-offs on Friday.

They are favourites along with Bordeaux-Begles -- who finished second in the table some 12 points adrift of them -- to reach the final. Should the two sides clash Toulouse will hope to deny Bordeaux emulating their double of last season.