Dublin (AFP) - France captain Antoine Dupont is unlikely to play any further part in this season’s Six Nations after suffering what an angry Fabien Galthie described as a “fairly serious knee injury” in Saturday’s 42-27 demolition of Ireland in Dublin.

The talismanic scrum-half played 29 minutes before twisting his right knee when he was caught in a ruck with Irish lock Tadhg Beirne appearing to land on him.

Dupont was attended by medical staff before they supported him as he limped off the field to be replaced by Maxime Lucu, the only back on the French bench.

“There is a suspicion of a fairly serious knee injury,” said a thunder-faced France coach Galthie at a press conference, adding that he was “angry” about the injury to the poster boy of French rugby.

“I will not elaborate further on what the exact injury is due to medical protocols.

“All one can say is that Antoine is suffering.

“We have cited some players to appear before the disciplinary committee,” said Galthie, who blamed Beirne and prop Andrew Porter, who were involved in the clearance that caused Dupont’s injury.

Ireland interim coach Simon Easterby put it down as “just a rugby incident”.

“This happens,” he said. “It’s just one of those things that unfortunately happens in the game.”

France No.8 Gregory Alldritt, who took over the captaincy from his close friend Dupont, said the injury was “gut-wrenching”.

Alldritt tried in vain to persuade referee Angus Gardner to have another look at the incident but his protests were waved away by the Australian match official.

Alldritt added it also fired up France, who blew away the Irish in the second half to set themselves up as favourites to win the title next week when they host Scotland in the final round of matches.

“It was also a little bit of fuel for the second half,” said Alldritt.

Galthie also announced he would be citing Irish wing Calvin Nash, who replaced the injured James Lowe just before kick-off, for a second-half tackle that led to a concussion for France centre Pierre-Louis Barassi.

Nash was sin-binned but the offence was not judged to be worthy of a red card.

“It is important to say Pierre-Louis Barassi did not respond well to the Head Injury Assessment protocol,” said Galthie.

“In his case too there are TV images.

“We have cited them. Our players did not come back on (Dupont, Barassi) but their players returned (Nash and another sin-binned player Joe McCarthy).

“We want to understand why.

“On that matter we are angry.”