Picamoles joins French injury absentees for NZ tour

Paris - Back row forward Louis Picamoles will miss France's tour to New Zealand in June because he needs an operation, the French team said on Monday.

France coach Jacques Brunel is already without Racing 92 pair Maxime Machenaud, a scrumhalf, and Fiji-born wing Virimi Vakatawa.

Machenaud has a knee injury and Vakatawa will undergo a groin operation in June.

Brunel has called up Clermont loose forward Judicael Cancoriet to replace Montpellier's Picamoles.

Dropped from Brunel's original Six Nations squad earlier this year, Picamoles had been recalled for the 32-26 defeat in Scotland before being ejected again as one of eight players disciplined over a controversial night out in Edinburgh.

France did not say what surgery the 32-year-old needs.