Troubled France lose Pape

Pape: Ruled out of Wales clash

France have been dealt another injury blow ahead of Friday's RBS Six Nations clash against Wales after lock Pascal Pape was forced to pull out of the side.

Julien Pierre of Clermont will make the trip to the Millennium Stadium in place of Pape, who went over on his ankle in training on Tuesday, while Racing Metro's Sebastien Chabal has been called-up for the bench.

"Julien Pierre has been promoted to the starting line-up and Sebastien Chabal will join the team as a replacement," said France media manager Lionel Rossigneux.

"Pape sprained his ankle in training on Tuesday. He immediately underwent a series of medical tests which seemed to be positive but he was still in pain in the morning and team doctor Jean-Philippe Hager decided to take no risk."

Injury

Pape featured in the starting line-ups that defeated Scotland 18-9 and Ireland 33-10 earlier this month, while Pierre was on the bench as Chabal was ruled out with a back injury.

Stade Francais lock Pape is the second France player to withdraw from the side after winger Benjamin Fall was also forced to pull out with injury and was replaced by Clermont's Julien Malzieu, with Castres' Marc Andreu named on the bench.

Bayonne flyer Fall was originally called into the squad to replace Vincent Clerc, who is also ruled out with an ankle injury.

Revised France team: 15 Clement Poitrenaud, 14 Julien Malzieu, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Yannick Jauzion, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 5 Julien Pierre, 4 Lionel Nallet, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Sebastien Chabal, 19 Alexandre Lapandry, 20 Frederic Michalak, 21 David Marty, 22 Marc Andreu.