A six-nation tournament match between France and Scotland was already severely derailed after a new positive case of Kovid-19 was discovered in Scotland, France on Thursday.
A six-nation tournament match between France and Scotland was already severely derailed after a new positive case of Kovid-19 was discovered in Scotland, France on Thursday.
In a meeting on Thursday morning, the Organizing Committee said in a statement, the Six Nations Trial Monitoring Group (TOG) unanimously recommended postponing the France-Scotland match.
A day earlier, the organizers put the match on a scheduled date in the absence of a new case of Kovid-19 in the French selection during tests conducted on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
But the final tests conducted on Wednesday made it possible to detect a new contaminated player who was not identified by the French Rugby Federation (FFR).
This brings the number of positive-positive cases to sixteen in sixteen contests since the beginning of last week: twelve players and four members of management, including coach Fabine Galthy.
FFR therefore decided to suspend training and place “the entire group in isolation according to health protocols” on Thursday, while the press point set at 2:30 pm was canceled by videoconferencing with players and staff members.
Initially, 31 players from the group from France had to protest the so-called “high intensity” at the National Rugby Center in Marcosis (Yvelin), a crucial moment in preparation, which underscores the group of twenty-third selected players. Match.
– what date? –
French FIFA – AFP / Archives
Started like a dream, with success in Italy (50-10) then in Ireland (15-13) – the first in Dublin for ten years – the 2021 campaign has turned into a nightmare since the appearance of this cluster.
But France’s XV, the leader in the standings and looking for the first title in the tournament since 2010, has avoided at least the worst scenario: Green lost a match on the carpet.
Brian Lawless – POOL / AFP
It remains to be seen when the match may take place. Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said on Thursday he wanted to benefit from his best players so that “we can play this weekend”.
During the week, the Scottish Federation had already expressed strong reservations about a possible postponement of the match on 6 or 7 March, prompting several players to join the club over the weekend.
Two days after its success in Ireland, France’s XV registered two first cases on Tuesday 16 February. A positive, a member of the technical staff, in this case a physical trainer, whose identity has not been specified.
Thomas COEX – AFP
The other “dubious and not proven” worried Fabien Galthey. After a new test conducted during the day, the coach was diagnosed positively.
The cases were then chained in cascades with twelve infected players, including eight bearers. They are captain and third-row Charles Olivan, scrum half Antoine DuPont, full-back Bryce Dulin, winger Gabin Villier, center Arthur Vincent, left column Cyril Bailey, right column Mohr Hausa and hooker Julian Marchand.
– Investigation –
Among the alternates, second line Romain Taofifenua and Baptiste Pesenti, as well as Hooter Peto Mouwak, are also related to positive tests, as well as co-coaches of two other members of staff, Forward William Sevet and Vijay Karim. Ghazal
How could the state of health, when the XV of France was put in a “bubble” since the beginning of its preparations at the end of January in Nice?
Thomas COEX – AFP
Sports Minister Roxana Marciniu on Wednesday asked FFR President Bernard LaPorte to launch an investigation. The minister also asked the Ministry of Health to understand “how the chain of pollution formed within the XV of France”.
The investigation must be submitted within eight days.
“It’s always hard to know the origin. We don’t know anywhere. I would love to know it. I want to tell you the truth. It’s the one thing that concerns me and I would really like to know if someone is wrong or not. Laport said in France Info’s microphone on Thursday morning that is quite simple.
By Ludovic LUPPINO / Paris (AFP) / © 2021 AFP