Yachvili has been ruled out of Saturday's clash with Italy with a thigh injury © Getty Images

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France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili has been ruled out of Saturday's Six Nations clash with Italy.

The Biarritz star is suffering from a thigh injury and will be replaced in the starting XV by Clermont Auvergne's Morgan Parra, who started in the wins over Scotland and Ireland before being replaced by Yachvili for the defeat to England. Montpellier's Julien Tomas has been called into the squad to provide cover and is likely to add to his two caps from the bench.

France coach Marc Lievremont announced his side for the Stadio Flaminio clash earlier this week and unveiled three changes to the team beaten by England. Sylvain Marconnet takes over from Thomas Domingo at loose-head prop and Julien Bonnaire gets the nod at openside flanker ahead of Imanol Harinordoquy, who drops to the bench.

Despite widespread speculation that he would be dropped, Sebastien Chabal has held on to the No.8 jersey and will line out in the French back row alongside Bonnaire and Thierry Dusautoir, who will again skipper the side. The one change to the back-line sees Maxime Medard replace Clement Poitrenaud at fullback.

Revised France team to face Italy: M Medard (Toulouse); Y Huget (Bayonne), A Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse); F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), M Parra (Clermont); S Marconnet (Stade Francais), W Servat (Toulouse), N Mas (Toulouse); J Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), L Nallet (Racing Metro); T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin), S Chabal (Racing Metro).

Replacements: G Guirado (Perpignan), L Ducalcon (Castres), J Thion (Biarritz), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz), J Tomas (Montpellier), D Traille (Biarritz), C Poitrenaud (Toulouse).