France scrumhalf Antoine Dupont to miss Six Nations game with Scotland after positive Covid test
The 24-year-old was named as the player of the championship last year
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Scrumhalf and star player Antoine Dupont looked set to miss France’s Six Nations game against Scotland rugby after testing positive for COVID-19 on Friday.
All the players in the 31-man squad had been tested and so far 11 had been negative, with Dupont the only one to return a positive test, the French federation (FFR) said in a statement.
The other results were not yet known.
READ MORE: Six Nations fixtures, results and full match schedule
France play Scotland at the Stade de France on Feb. 28.
The FFR said that Dupont did not show any symptoms but he would be “isolated, in accordance with the sanitary protocol”.
Scotland’s Zander Fagerson handed four-game ban to miss remainder of Six Nations
England call up George Martin for Six Nations match against Wales after losing Jack Willis to injury
France’s Six Nations squad isolating after staff member tests positive for Covid
England iron out the kinks against Italy with sterner Six Nations tests to come
Health minister Olivier Veran announced on Thursday that anyone testing positive for COVID-19 would need to isolate for 10 days, instead of seven previously, as France looks to contain the emergence of a variant that first appeared in Britain.
The FFR had ordered further tests on the squad after saying on Tuesday that head coach Fabien Galthie, forwards coach William Servat and another staff members had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
All the players were negative on Tuesday but there were concerns about Dupont, who spent time in close contact with Galthie at an awards ceremony broadcast online on Monday, with neither of them wearing a mask.
Dupont, 24, was named player of the championship after last year’s Six Nations, when France finished in second place.
Les Bleus lead the standings after two wins from two games, with Dupont setting up four tries in the opening match against Italy.
They have not won the Six Nations since 2010, the year of their last Grand Slam.
Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments