FRENCH FARCE
New Covid scare for Les Bleus after Sevens stars entered ‘bubble’
FRANCE have suffered a new Covid scare ahead of next weekend’s game with Scotland after a number of Sevens players who were allowed to take part in Les Bleus’ training camp tested positive.
Now Six Nations organisers are closely monitoring the situation amid fears the virus could have spread to the players who are preparing to face Gregor Townsend’s team in Paris a week on Sunday.
Three members of staff, including head coach Fabien Galthie and scrum coach William Servat, had already been found to have contracted the virus during routine testing following the team’s return home from their victory over Ireland in Dublin last Sunday.
But yesterday, while France were announcing their 31-player training squad for the Scotland match, it emerged that several Sevens players who had taken part in a Six Nations training session with the full squad prior to the Ireland game have also returned positive results.
The French Rugby Federation (FFR) revealed that the nation’s Sevens team had withdrawn from this weekend’s Madrid Sevens tournament and that players and staff were isolating for seven days following half-a-dozen positive Covid-19 tests during a training camp in south-west France.
‘The management and the players, under the medical supervision of the team doctor, will remain in isolation in accordance with the health protocol. Additional PCR tests will be carried out on Saturday, February 20,’ the FFR said in a statement.
It added: ‘France Sevens players (had) integrated into the health bubble of the XV of France last week during the training camp in Nice.
‘At the entrance of this health bubble, all players as well as all staff members were tested in accordance with the protocol. All tests came back negative. However, analysis is under way to establish a possible link between the health situation of the two France teams.’
Now reports in France claim that if the senior team’s players return positive results in tests scheduled for today and Sunday, the FFR may have to draft in players who have not been involved with the squad so far to allow the Six Nations to continue as planned.
French Rugby will also be asked to explain why Sevens players were brought into the training camp after players and staff had gone into a ‘bubble’ to guard against the virus.
The French Government have already exempted the Scotland and Wales’ squads from having to go through a seven-day isolation period on entry to France for their Six Nations clashes in Paris.
In a series of statements released as cases were confirmed on Tuesday and Wednesday, the FFR said all three members of the senior men’s coaching team were asymptomatic, and would continue to work remotely while in seven-day isolation according to health protocols.
The FFR pointed out that all players had returned negative tests on Monday, or in a second round carried out on Tuesday. The following morning, before news from the France Sevens camp broke, players were allowed to return home for a few days’ break.
They will be tested again today, before heading back to camp — and another test — on Sunday to prepare for the visit of Scotland.
Also causing concern in France have been images on social media of head coach Galthie — taken before his positive test was confirmed — presenting star scrum-half Antoine Dupont with an award on Monday evening. Both coach and player were not wearing masks.
Galthie’s side, who are favourites to win this year’s tournament, currently sit top of the table.