“I made really good progress the first five days after it happened, and the medical team was really confident about making the French game. But this week it hasn’t really progressed – it’s been very frustrating,” said Gibbes.

“The advice was it was going to be 50-50 whether it would be right for France, but there was no point trying to load up and re-injure it again.”

Gibbes will return to Rome as a holidaymaker – while Reuben Thorne, flown in as a replacement and included among the replacements for tomorrow’s Test against Wales in Cardiff, remains with the squad.

Gibbes was extremely effective as a blindside flanker against England in the summer series, but New Zealand head coach Graham Henry had hoped to give him a run in the second row on this tour.

“It’s a pity because we brought Jono over here to develop him further as a lock and we see that as his role in the future at international level,” said Henry.

“His calf-muscle injury is disappointing for us and for him. But he’s a top man and he’s added a huge amount on this tour just with his personality, and helping out here and there with his attitude, which is always extremely upbeat.”