French rugby's hopes of ending a 24-year Australian drought have suffered a huge blow with their inspirational captain Thierry Dusautoir ruled out of Saturday night's first test against the Wallabies.
Coach Phillipe Saint-Andre pulled a major surprise last night when he decided to let Dusautoir overcome an arm problem instead of risking him at Suncorp Stadium.
The inspirational flanker is only two matches back from arm surgery after a torn biceps kept him sidelined for four months, and he pulled up sore after training last weekend.
Veteran prop Nicolas Mas will take over the captaincy and South African-born Bernard Le Roux replaces Dusautoir.