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Parra's exile from France XV extended as Clermont star ruled out of clash with Ireland

Racing 92′s Brice Dulin will also miss the Six Nations opener to force Jacques Brunel to call up two replacements.

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2015 - Pool D - France v Canada - stadium:mk PA Archive / PA Images PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images

HAVING EARNED A recall to the France squad for the first time in two years, Morgan Parra has now been ruled out of the Six Nations opener against Ireland with a knee injury.

Parra’s selection last week raised eyebrows as he hadn’t played for France since Guy Noves took over Les Bleus after the 2015 World Cup. The 29-year-old was injured playing for Clermont against Ospreys in the European Champions Cup on Saturday and has been replaced in Jacques Brunel’s France squad by Bordeaux’s Baptiste Serin.

Ireland v France - RBS 6 Nations - Aviva Stadium Serin tackled by Jamie Heaslip in last year's Six Nations. Niall Carson Niall Carson

Toulon’s Hugo Bonneval has also been drafted into the squad to replace Racing 92 fullback Brice Dulin, who suffered a calf injury in the win over Leicester yesterday.

Serin was first choice scrum-half for much of Noves’ two-year France reign while Parra was out in the cold.

The 23-year-old Bordeaux-Begles player lost his spot under Noves to Antoine Dupont during the November internationals before being dropped entirely – and now re-drafted – by Brunel.

France squad for Six Nations

Forwards (18): Eddy Ben Arous (Racing 92), Cedate Gomes Sa (Racing 92), Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Begles), Dany Priso (La Rochelle), Rabah Slimani (Clermont), Camille Chat (Racing 92), Guilhem Guirado (Toulon), Christopher Tolofua (Saracens/ENG), Arthur Iturria (Clermont), Paul Gabrillagues (Stade Français), Felix Lambey (Lyon), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Clermont), Yacouba Camara (Montpellier), Kevin Gourdon (La Rochelle), Anthony Jelonch (Castres), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92), Sekou Macalou (Stade Francais), Marco Tauleigne (Bordeaux-Begles)

Backs (14): Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92), Baptiste Serin (Bordeaux-Begles), Anthony Belleau (Toulon), Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Henry Chavancy (Racing 92), Geoffrey Doumayrou (La Rochelle), Remi Lamerat (Clermont), Benjamin Fall (Montpellier), Teddy Thomas (Racing 92), Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92), Hugo Bonneval (Toulon), Geoffrey Palis (Castres)

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