Five more players from France’s Six Nations squad — including captain Charles Ollivon — have tested positive for COVID-19, the French rugby federation (FFR) said on Monday, bringing the number of infected players to 10.
Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka, Romain Taofifenua, Brice Dulin and Ollivon were the players who returned positive tests in the latest round of testing on Sunday. Two members of staff are also suspected to have contracted the virus.
– Play ESPN’s Rugby Pick’em for FREE
France are scheduled to play Scotland in the Six Nations at the Stade de France in Paris on Feb. 28 and despite Monday’s announcement, the game is expected to go ahead.
Centre Arthur Vincent, hooker Julien Marchand, wing Gabin Villiere, prop Mohamed Haouas and scrum-half Antoine Dupont had tested positive last week, along with coach Fabien Galthie and three other staff members.
The players who tested positive have been replaced in the 31-man squad, with the team set to return to training on Wednesday, the FFR said in a statement.
French Government rules issued last week state that anyone testing positive must self-isolate for 10 days.
Six Nations officials said over the weekend they were confident the game in Paris would go ahead. At the tournament launch last month they said they would seek space in the calendar for postponements rather than cancellations in the case of COVID-19 impact.
Les Bleus lead the standings with two wins from two games, ahead of Wales on points difference.