Rugby-France v Scotland back in doubt after new COVID-19 case

After two days without a new case in the French squad, Six Nations organisers said on Wednesday the game would go ahead as planned at the Stade de France on Sunday. But organisers may have to reconsider if they feel the outbreak within the squad is not under control after France's sports minister asked FFR president Bernard Laporte to investigate the series of cases.

France's Six Nations game against Scotland was in doubt again on Thursday after the French rugby federation (FFR) suspended training because of another player testing positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number infected to 11.

The entire squad was now isolated, the FFR said, adding that it was "in close contact with the Six Nations committee". After two days without a new case in the French squad, Six Nations organizers said on Wednesday the game would go ahead as planned at the Stade de France on Sunday.

But organisers may have to reconsider if they feel the outbreak within the squad is not under control after France's sports minister asked FFR president Bernard Laporte to investigate the series of cases. France resumed contact training on Wednesday but the FFR had said it would conduct daily COVID-19 testing until Sunday, and one player returned a positive test on Wednesday night.

Several members of staff, including head coach Fabien Galthie, also returned positive tests last week. "It's always hard to know the origin (of the outbreak)," Laporte told France Info radio on Thursday before the latest case was announced. "I would like to know. Of course, it is something that worries me. I would like if someone is at fault, or not. We are going to investigate this ourselves to see how we got there."

France leads the standings with two wins from two games, ahead of Wales on points difference, as they seek to lift the Six Nations title for the first time since 2010, the year of their last Grand Slam.