France captain Thierry Dusautoir has been ruled out of the forthcoming Six Nations after suffering a biceps tear.
The 32-year-old picked up the injury during Toulouse's Heineken Cup win over Zebre on Saturday, and club coach Guy Noves revealed that the forward will be on the sidelines for at least four months.
Noves told reporters: "We feared it was a serious injury. We hoped that the scans wouldn't confirm the original diagnosis.
"His injury adds to a growing list of serious injuries to key players. That makes it five to six players of the highest quality that we have lost."
Dusautoir, who has won 65 caps, skippered the French side that narrowly lost the 2011 Rugby World Cup final to New Zealand, with the flanker scoring Les Bleus' only try in the 8-7 defeat.
France open their Six Nations campaign with a clash against England on February 1.
