UPDATE 1-Rugby-France's Clerc faces nine months out with injury

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TOULOUSE, France, April 19 (Reuters) - France winger Vincent Clerc will be out for up to nine months after damaging knee ligaments playing for Toulouse on Saturday, said club coach Guy Noves.

Clerc left the pitch on a stretcher 65 minutes into the French championship match at home to Clermont, who won 23-11.

Tests showed that he needed surgery on torn cruciate ligaments in his left knee, Noves told Reuters.

The injury means Clerc will miss the Heineken Cup semi-final against London Irish at Twickenham next Saturday and the remainder of the French championship.

The 26-year-old, who has scored 20 tries in 33 internationals, will also miss France's two-test tour of Australia in June and July and almost certainly the matches against Australia and Argentina in November.

(Reporting by Nicolas Fichot, writing by Patrick Vignal in Paris, editing by Rex Gowar)