A third member of France’s management team has tested positive for Covid-19 while the federation is investigating whether there is a link with an outbreak among the sevens team, who trained with Fabien Galthié’s squad last week, in a further scare for the Six Nations leaders.
France announced on Tuesday that the assistant coach Will Servat had tested positive, after Galthié and an unnamed member of staff had done so on Monday. The entire playing squad tested negative however, and have been allowed home to isolate before further rounds of testing on Friday and Sunday.
The fact all players have now tested negative twice this week boosts hopes that next Sunday’s match against Scotland will go ahead as planned but confirmation on Wednesday of an outbreak among the sevens squad, who joined the senior XV side in Nice last week, again highlights the precariousness of the situation.
France named their squad on Wednesday for the Scotland fixture but even if they have no more positive cases their buildup will be disrupted with Galthie in isolation for seven days. He wrote on social media on Wednesday: “Dear friends, thank you for your messages. I am very well. We are adapting and preparing for the next event, France-Scotland at the Stade de France.”
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s Premiership match at Worcester has been called off after positive tests within the Falcons camp. It is the second straight Newcastle match to be cancelled due to an outbreak at the club and the seventh since the season began. Worcester are set to be awarded four points as a result with Newcastle receiving two. Premiership Rugby expects the remaining five fixtures this weekend to go ahead as planned.