Dimitri Yachvili has been ruled out of France's Six Nations match against Ireland on Saturday, his place at scrum-half being taken by Clermont's Morgan Parra.
The 31-year-old Yachvili, who has won 60 caps and is a master goalkicker, is suffering from acute lumbago, which has failed to improve despite treatement.
"I don't feel at 100 percent and I think it's more reasonable to rest and recuperate in a bid to be back as quickly as possible to prepare for the next challenges with my club and France," the Biarritz half-back said.
Stade Francais' Julien Dupuy was called up to the bench to replace Parra.