France's Six Nations game against Scotland was postponed following a coronavirus outbreak in the French camp, with head coach Fabien Galthie and 11 players testing positive for the virus; tournament organisers confirm it will be played on March 26, a week after the scheduled last round
Thursday 18 March 2021 20:08, UK
Scotland's rearranged Six Nations match against France will be played on March 26 in Paris.
France's round three game against Scotland on Sunday was postponed because of an outbreak of Covid-19, with eleven players - including star scrum-half Antoine Dupont and captain Charles Ollivon - testing positive for the virus.
The Stade de France fixture will now be played on March 26, a week after the scheduled final round of fixtures.
It could still determine who wins this year's Championship. France would need to beat Wales and Scotland with bonus points and deny the Welsh a losing bonus point when the pair meet on Saturday.
Wales are currently in pole position after securing the Triple Crown with their 40-24 victory over England, so a win, draw, or losing bonus point against France would be good enough for them to win the title this weekend.
The postponed game caused plenty of controversy given the suspect reasons behind the outbreak.
French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu had threatened to withdraw France from the Six Nations entirely amid reports that players went out to eat waffles while in Rome to face Italy in round one, but French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte has since revealed that the day after the 50-10 win over Italy, head coach Fabien Galthie attended the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris to see his son Mathis play.
Laporte said Galthie - who provided the first positive test after France's 15-13 victory over Ireland on February 14 - retains the support of his federation.
"For me, he has the right to leave from the moment he is masked. He was outside," Laporte told the France 3 television channel.
"He watched the match alongside (Stade Francais director general) Thomas Lombard, who himself is tested every three days and also wore a mask. I don't see where the problem could be. But then again I'm not a doctor.
"Why wouldn't I support him (Galthie)? I am not a prosecutor. And it's not because I really like Fabien. He knows very well that I don't give gifts to people."
Last month, France banned travel from and to non-European Union countries, but the sports ministry gave the rugby team a special authorisation to take part in the Six Nations.
