Number eight Imanol Harinordoquy will miss France's Six Nations match against Scotland on Sunday at Murrayfield, team manager Jo Maso has confirmed.
"Imanol had a scan today and doctors said he needed to rest for four or five days so we have decided to rule him out," he told reporters at the team training centre in Marcoussis, south of Paris.
"We'll see if he has recovered for the England game on March 27th," he added.
The 24-year-old Harinordoquy has won 26 caps for France and was one of their best players during the World Cup in Australia.
He injured his elbow playing with his Pau club in a French championship match last Saturday. His withdrawal means that the 75-cap Olivier Magne will probably be restored to the flanker position after being relegated to the bench against Wales.
Maso said Harinordoquy would be replaced by France A and Bourgoin-Jallieu number eight Julien Bonnaire in the 22-player squad, but hinted that Thomas Lihvremont would feature in the Scotland game at number eight as he did in Wales.
"We are not worried because Thomas had a good game against Wales," he said. Coach Bernard Laporte is due to announce his starting line-up on Wednesday.