Milloud out of France's tour Down Under

Tough break: Olivier Milloud is facing another six months on the sidelines

France and Bourgoin prop Olivier Milloud has snapped his Achilles' tendon and will be out of action for six months - ruling him out of France's June tour of Australia.

The news comes as a blow for Bourgoin - whose Top 14 season has bordered on disastrous - as well as for France who's selection options have thus been further reduced (les bleus will be without many of the their top players since the tour clashes with the Top 14 play-offs).

Milloud has not had much luck recently, having just returned from four months of intensive reeducation after undergoing an operation to the cervical vertebra in his neck following the World Cup.

The prop suffered the injury on Wednesday during scrummaging practice with Bourgoin. Club doctor Jean-Jacques Allagnat diagnosed a snapped Achilles tendon.

The injury almost certainly means another operation and a six-month layoff.

Milloud's return for Bourgoin at the end of March saw the 50-cap veteran recover much of his best form and he was expected to be a shoe-in for Marc Lièvremont's French squad to tour Australia in June.

At 33 years of age, the injury is another unwelcome interruption for the prop who will play no further part in Bourgoin's attempt to retain a place in the Heineken Cup. Their meagre hopes now seem in no better condition than Milloud's heel area.