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XV of France: contaminations in series, the match against Scotland threatened

2021-02-20T21:40:15.388Z


One week after the Six Nations Tournament, two holders (Haouas and Villière) and a staff member (Gheza), tested positive at


Monday February 15, the XV of France, led by Fabien Galthié, began a new week of preparation for a smoothly conducted Six Nations Tournament: two victories in as many trips (Italy, Ireland) and a first place in the standings.

But since Tuesday, February 16, the blue sky has seriously darkened above the national rugby center, in Marcoussis, and the Sunday meeting against the XV du Chardon seems compromised.

The health bubble, supposed to protect the Blues in this period of a global pandemic since their arrival in Nice on January 26, burst in a handful of days.

Each day brings its share of new contaminated: Mohamed Haouas, Gabin Villière and forward co-trainer Karim Ghezal came to swell a list this Saturday already made up of Fabien Galthié, William Servat and Antoine Dupont, tested positive for Covid-19 in the week for the two members of the staff and the day before yesterday for the scrum half.

Official communication on the health situation of #XVdeFrance and update following the PCR tests of February 19:

- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) February 20, 2021

The last round of tests carried out on Friday returned its verdict for 29 other players in the workforce: negative.

The Blues risk sweating this week, and not only because of the high intensity training: they will be tested this Sunday evening as soon as they return to Marcoussis, then every two days, and the results could still constrain the management of the XV of France to cut in the forces alive.

Antoine Dupont asymptomatic, according to the FFR

To anticipate this risk, the French Rugby Federation will unveil this Sunday a new list of 31 players tasked with training for revenge on Scotland, the only team to overcome the French “roosters” during the 2020 Tournament. It would be very surprising to find the "Covids" in this list.

In theory, if all the players are asymptomatic, as is the case for Antoine Dupont according to the French Rugby Federation, their isolation will be lifted after seven days, i.e. the day before France-Scotland (16 hours): the timing seems complicated, especially as the rules on isolation get tougher from Monday with now a period of ten days to be observed.

In these conditions, how to properly prepare a pivotal match of the Tournament?

How Fabien Galthié, who wanted to be reassuring about his state of health after his positive test, will he organize training while his staff is cut off by three elements?

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Many questions remain unanswered and the holding of the match raises questions as the risk of a "cluster" seems possible.

Rare satisfaction in the midst of this accumulation of bad news: the players of the XV of France, who attended in training a member of the French team at 7 tested positive for Covid-19, are not considered as contact cases.

"On medical criteria, it was decided that this scenario did not trigger the designation of players as contact cases," said the FFR press release, after meeting of the Medical Committee.

Details on so-called "contact cases" within the workforce of @RCTofficiel following an article published on https://t.co/ms6Px39FHn 👇https: //t.co/NPIAnoRHf6

- RCT - RC Toulon (@RCTofficiel) February 20, 2021

"Case contact", two words at the origin of an imbroglio between the team of France and Toulon.

Summoned to the first group of 31 players, Swan Rebbadj, second line of the RCT, is announced "contact case" by the FFR after cases of Covid in his club.

Information contradicted in the wake by the Var club.

Result: the 26-year-old player played 80 minutes this Saturday evening in the Top 14 in Pau and will appear at the gathering of the Blues shortly.

Undefeated on the field, the Blues start a match against their toughest opponent: the Covid.

And the game seems far from won.

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2021-02-20

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