France captain Jerome Thion was recovering in hospital from a fractured larynx on Sunday, while South Africa skipper John Smit was cited for allegedly injuring Thion in Saturday's rugby test in Paris.

　　Thion left the field in the first quarter after taking an elbow to the throat, apparently from Smit in France's 26-20 win at Stade de France.

　　"Jerome has a fractured larynx, but the test results are encouraging," France manager Jo Maso said on Sunday. "He is better and could speak to us over the telephone."

　　Thion, not likely to need an operation, was expected to be out for six weeks, Maso added.

　　Smit was supposed to appear before a disciplinary committee on Sunday in Paris, but it was postponed to today at the request of South Africa's management.

　　(The Associated Press)