France’s Rugby team are in isolation this morning after another positive test. Training has been suspended and, less than 24 hours after the game against Scotland in the Guinness Six nations was given the go-ahead, the French Rugby Union has said it is in ‘close contact’ with tournament organisers about whether that will still be possible.
“Following the RT-PCR tests carried out this Wednesday, 24 February in the evening and the appearance of a positive case within the squad of players, the FFR medical committee met this morning and decided to suspend training,” said the ~Union in a statement just issued in Paris.
Eleven players and coach Fabien Galthie have now rested positive since the team played in Dublin the weekend before last.
“We continue to monitor the situation very closely and are in regular contact with both unions,” said a Six Nations statement.
The timing is particularly unfortunate coming just the day after European Club Rugby confirmed that the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup would recommence on April 2nd.
If the France Scotland game is postponed it would leave a tight window of being played seven days later in Paris on the weekend of March 7th / 8th.
If that’s not possible the only other option would be the weekend after the tournament is due to conclude, which would be the week before the resumption of the club games.
That would leave a tough call between club and country though we have been through so many tough calls that surely there would be a positive conclusion found.
“The hardest thing is just being able to plan properly. Things can change from one moment to the next,” Scottish Rugby Union CEO Mark Dodson told BBC Scotland this morning.
“What we need to do is keep our players as safe as possible. It’s a very fragile moment trying to get these games away. Touch wood, we’re ready to go on Sunday.”
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