France captain Ollivon one of five further players to contract coronaviruson February 22, 2021 at 10:42 am

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France captain Charles Ollivon will miss Sunday’s match against Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus along with four other players.

Charles Ollivon in a line-out

Four other players – Brice Dulin, Cyril Baille, Romain Taofifenua and Peato Mauvaka – have also tested positive.

Mauvaka did not feature in the matchday 23 for the round two win over Ireland but nine players from that squad have contracted the virus and will miss out.

Les Bleus are top of the Six Nations table after also winning their opening game against Italy.

The French Rugby Federation said two members of backroom staff were also considered “suspicious cases” after their tests.

The players and staff involved will return home to isolate and the rest of the side will return to training on Wednesday with testing taking place every 24 hours.

Star scrum-half Antoine Dupont, centre Arthur Vincent, hooker Julien Marchand, wing Gabin Villiere, and prop Mohamed Haouas are already isolating after returning positive tests last week.

Head coach Fabien Galthie and assistant William Servat also tested positive earlier this week and have been isolating.

Uncapped players Gaetan Barlot, Thierry Paiva and Cyril Cazeaux have been called up to the squad, along with Baptiste Pesentis and Thomas Ramos.

‘The game is in the balance’ – analysis

BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones

The French Federation hope that constant testing will help them to get on top of the outbreak, but in reality the virus has got into the France bubble and has spread.

Last week coach Fabien Galthie and some of his backroom team tested positive, and within days a number of players have tested positive as well.

More players have been called up with more testing taking place every day, but the game is very much in the balance, with the Six Nations now under pressure to act.

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