Two more French stars test positive
FRANCE have been dealt another blow ahead of next weekend’s Six Nations clash with Scotland after two more players tested positive for Covid-19.
Winger Gabin Villiere and prop Mohamed Haouas – both of whom have started for France in each of their two games in this year’s championship – returned positive tests yesterday.
Villiere and Haouas, who was sent off for punching Scotland’s Jamie Ritchie during last year’s Six Nations meeting at Murrayfield, are now selfisolating.
It comes hot on the heels of France’s star scrum-half Antoine Dupont also testing positive for the virus on Friday, along with head coach Fabien Galthie and two other backroom staff members. There are now growing fears of a widespread outbreak in the French camp.
All players will be tested again today, with the French Federation set to name a new 31-man training squad.
The French government announced on Thursday that anyone who tests positive will be required to isolate for a period of 10 days, instead of seven previously.
However, those new guidelines don’t come into force until tomorrow, which means the trio of Dupont, Villiere and Haouas may yet be able to face the Scots at the Stade de France next Sunday. They won’t be able to train with their team-mates in the intervening period, but they haven’t yet been officially ruled out unless the French Federation chooses to do so when they announce the new training squad this afternoon.
France are still likely to field a formidable side in any case. Of 32 tests carried out on Friday, 29 came back negative, meaning Galthie still has the bulk of his preferred squad at his disposal.
It is likely, therefore, that Toulon’s Baptiste Serin will start in place of Dupont if the Toulouse star is ultimately ruled out.
Damian Penaud or Gael Fickou could fill in for Villiere on the wing, with Demba Bamba a likefor-like replacement for Haouas in the front row.