The scrum-half was expected to be the first-choice number nine for the tournament

France have left Toulouse scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde out of their squad to face Ireland in their Six Nations opener on 7 February.

Elissalde, 31, has 35 caps and has been first-choice scrum-half in the France squad for five years.

Coach Marc Lievremont has chosen Morgan Parra, 20, and Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 23, in his 23-man party.

Lievremont said: "We have 25 matches to go before the (2011) World Cup. It's time to break in Morgan and Sebastien."

He stressed that it did not mean the end of Elissalde's international career, adding: "We know about Jean-Baptiste's talent and control and the impact he has on the group. He can reintegrate at any time."

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Lievremont has also recalled back-row forward Imanol Harinordoquy, who missed the training squad with a knee injury.

Only one specialist fly-half, Lionel Beauxis, has been chosen, with centre Benoit Baby set to fill in at number 10 if there is an emergency.

David Skrela, who played in France's autumn Tests, is set to make his comeback after injury for Toulouse this weekend, so could return to the squad for the rest of the Six Nations.

Forwards: Nicolas Mas (Pergignan), Lionel Faure (Sale), Benoit Lecouls (Stade Toulousain), Fabien Barcella (Biarritz), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais), Benjamin Kayser (Leicester), Sebastien Chabal (Sale), Lionel Nallet (captain, Castres), Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz).

Backs: Sebastien Tillous-Borde (Castres), Morgan Parra (Bourgoin), Lionel Beauxis (Stade Francais), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), Benoit Baby (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Julien Malzieu (Clermont), Cedric Heymans (Toulouse), Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse), Maxime Medard (Toulouse).

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