- Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello suffered a shoulder sprain during Toulouse's Champions Cup clash against Exeter Chiefs on Sunday
- The 24-year-old's injury marks his second setback since joining Toulouse over the summer
- Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada now faces a difficult autumn campaign without one of his key players
Italy and Toulouse centre Tommaso Menoncello is set to miss the Nations Championship autumn campaign after sustaining a shoulder injury during Sunday's Champions Cup match against Exeter Chiefs.
Menoncello left the field in the 43rd minute of Toulouse's 43-40 victory with a sprain to his left shoulder. Medical assessments indicate he will be sidelined for several weeks, ruling him out of Italy's upcoming autumn Tests.
**Second Injury Blow for Menoncello at Toulouse**
The setback is particularly frustrating for the 24-year-old, who only joined Toulouse at the start of the season. He sustained an earlier injury during the club's opening Top 14 fixture against La Rochelle, before returning to play against Castres in early October. This latest problem compounds what has been a difficult start to life in France.
Menoncello is widely regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in world rugby. He claimed the Six Nations Player of the Championship award in 2024 following a series of outstanding performances for the Azzurri.
Italy's Autumn Programme Under Pressure
Head coach Gonzalo Quesada now faces the challenge of preparing Italy for a demanding run of autumn fixtures without one of his most influential backs. The squad is scheduled to face South Africa, Argentina and Fiji before travelling to London for the Nations Championship Finals Weekend.
Italy's form has been inconsistent in recent months. While they produced strong results in this year's Six Nations, defeating both Scotland and England, the summer tour brought three consecutive defeats against Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
The Nations Championship standings carry additional stakes for the Azzurri. The team that finishes bottom of the northern hemisphere group will meet the last-placed side from the southern hemisphere group, with the overall wooden spoon at stake — a scenario Italy will be eager to avoid.
Toulouse are also monitoring the fitness of Thomas Ramos and Julien Marchand ahead of the November Tests. Ramos has been unavailable since early October and is scheduled to undergo further medical assessment, while Marchand's participation also remains in doubt.
Source: Briefly News
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