Sunday’s France v Scotland rugby match called off after all

The Scots, managed by ex-Border Reivers star Gregor Townsend and captained by Hawick's Stuart Hogg, had been due to play the French in Paris on Sunday, February 28, but that game has now been put back to a later date yet to be fixed.

That decision, overturning the provisional thumbs-up given for the game yesterday, February 24, following a round of negative Covid-19 test results, has been taken on the advice of the Six Nations’ testing oversight group after a further positive result today.

A Six Nations spokesperson said: “The Six Nations testing oversight group met today to review the situation in the French camp.

"They unanimously recommended the postponement of the France v Scotland match. This will be ratified later today by the Six Nations council.

"We will be working on the rescheduling of this fixture and will communicate the date in due course.”

France have won their first two games in this year’s Six Nations and currently top the table, but Scotland were beaten at home by Wales in round two after an opening victory away to champions England.

Townsend said: “While we fully accept the decision of the testing oversight group to recommend postponing our match against France on medical grounds, it is disappointing not to be able to play this fixture on Sunday.

“We have had a good week with our players, who were focused and ready to represent their country in Paris and continue our progress in this year’s Guinness Six Nations.

“Throughout this tournament, and the previous Autumn Nations Cup, we have worked hard to maintain strict Covid protocols which have enabled us to select our strongest possible teams for these important international fixtures.

“We will wait to see what options are available to play this match against France, but it remains our position that we want to have all our eligible players available to us for that fixture so we can compete to the level we would have done this weekend.

“We wish all the French players and staff affected by Covid well in their recovery and look forward to playing them at a future date."

Today’s call-off follows a week of doubt about the game’s prospects of proceeding following an outbreak of the virus among French head coach Fabien Galthie's playing squad and coaching staff.

Tournament organisers had ordered daily testing in the French camp before announcing yesterday that the match would go ahead at the Stade de France, north of Paris.

They have now been forced to perform an about-turn, however, as the entire French squad has been put in quarantine after an 11th player tested positive for the virus, forcing training to be suspended.

Townsend had been due to name his team for Sunday's game this afternoon.

Some of French rugby’s biggest names were forced to go into self-isolation earlier this week after contracting Covid-19, including 2020 player of the championship Antoine Dupont and captain Charles Ollivon.

Galthie also tested positive for the virus.