France captain Pascal Pape will miss Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales after suffering a lower back injury against Italy.
Pape limped off during the second half of Les Bleus' 23-18 loss at Rome's Stadio Olimpico and has been withdrawn from the squad for this weekend's Stade de France encounter, with Toulon lock Jocelino Suta called up as his replacement.
No announcement was made on the likely duration of Pape's absence, but France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said on www.ouest-france.fr: "I can tell already that Pascal Pape will be absent against Wales. He suffers from sciatica."
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