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Lock Thibaud Flament will miss France’s Six Nations opener against Ireland because it clashes with his wife’s fertility treatment.
Flament was named in the 42-man squad for the tournament, but coach Fabien Galthie said he would be absent at Stade de France on 5 February for “personal reasons”.
Flament, who said his wife has endometriosis, told French newspaper L’Equipe: “You can’t control the date.
“The timing is based on the menstrual cycle of women, with a whole protocol around it.”
He added: “We learned at the beginning of January that ART (assisted reproductive technology) falls in the same week as Ireland.
“Even if I saw this possibility coming, it’s not possible to do both, so I won’t play.”
Hugo Auradou is likely to replace Flament.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, and can cause fertility issues.
ART refers to a range of medical procedures, including IVF, designed to help individuals and couples overcome fertility challenges.
IVF involves fertilising eggs with sperm in a laboratory setting and transferring the embryos into the uterus.
