The Albany Gazette - France rugby star Drean to have heart surgery

"He will have to undergo heart surgery. The word is always frightening but it doesn't change his future with us in any way. Nothing is in doubt," Mignoni told reporters.

The 25-year-old winger will miss several months including Toulon's last two Top 14 matches this season as well as the beginning of the Nations Championship with the French national team this summer.

Having earned his first cap during the 2026 Six Nations, and with Toulon not involved in the Top 14 play-offs, Drean was a strong contender for the trip to New Zealand, Australia and then Japan.

"It's not a routine procedure... it's a little scary, but he's receiving excellent care and he'll be back quite soon," continued Mignoni.

"In terms of recovery, we're looking at a return in November.

"Heart surgery is always a serious matter, but it's so that he's better when he returns and in his future life. He'll come back stronger.

"When he signed four years ago, we knew he had a minor genetic anomaly. We had to monitor him, which is what we did and now it's best to perform a minor procedure so he'll be better off later on, both as a player and as a person in his daily life."

This season Drean has played 23 matches and scored 19 tries, thanks in particular to his blistering pace.

Toulon are ninth in the Top 14 standings but with little chance of securing eighth place which would mean qualification for the Champions Cup next season.

They face the European champions Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday in the penultimate round of the Top 14 with Castres the following week.

(B.Ramirez--TAG)