France second rower Sebastien Chabal is returning home after being sidelined for Saturday's rugby Test against Australia because of an injured calf, the team said Monday night.

Chabal underwent a scan on Monday, which revealed a pulled muscle in his left calf. He becomes the fifth France player to pull out of the game, France's third and last of their tour.

Chabal will depart Sydney on Tuesday morning, 24 hours after injured trio Yannick Jauzion, Louis Picamoles and Thomas Domingo.

Mathieu Bastareaud has also returned to France in the wake of his assault by four to five men in Wellington after France's second Test defeat by New Zealand, which left him with facial injuries.

France won the first Test against the All Blacks 27-22 in Dunedin before their 14-10 defeat in Wellington.

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