PARIS, Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) - ATTENTION - UPDATES with length of absence ///

Toulouse fullback Clement Poitrenaud is out of France's Six Nations clash with England next Saturday after breaking a bone in his left ankle.

The 25-year-old 32-times capped star was injured in the 22nd minute of Toulouse's championship match with Perpignan on Saturday and was due to undergo surgery later in the day.

The club said later Saturday that the player would be sidelined for at least three months.

Poitrenaud, who was recalled to the French squad by coach Marc Lievremont after being left out for the matches with Scotland and Ireland, was in tears after the incident and had to be comforted by team-mate Vincent Clerc.

"This has shocked us all," said Toulouse general manager Guy Noves.

"After the injury to Florian Fritz (who fractured his right shinbone on January 30) that is the second offensive player we have lost for a good part of the season."

However, the outspoken Noves said that it was not down to bad luck.

"Clement's injury is not down to bad luck but because the players are becoming exhausted," said Noves.

"Even if he didn't play in the Six Nations matches he still played the two championship games that took place at the same time."

The Toulouse players understandably were affected by the injury to Poitrenaud and having been cruising at 18-0 when it happened it took them another 14 minutes to score again before running away with the match 41-15.

In-form France winger Clerc got in on the act scoring two tries to take his total in the championship this season to seven and in the process pass the 50 try mark in the Top 14 championship, while fellow international Cedric Heymans also grabbed two and issue a stark warning to England.