France cleared to continue Six Nations

The French government have withdrawn its threat to ban France from completing their Six Nations campaign after a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad.

Sports minister Roxana Maracineanu had threatened to revoke permission for France to travel overseas after 12 of their players and four officials – including coach Fabien Galthie – tested positive for the coronavirus.

This resulted in their crunch Test match against Scotland, originally scheduled for Sunday, 28 February, being postponed.

It was later revealed that Galthie had left the bio-secure bubble to watch his son play football, while other members of the squad went out to eat waffles. However, an internal investigation found that the team was not negligent in their Covid-19 protocols.

France will now be allowed to play their final three games of the 2021 campaign, but players and officials have been banned from leaving their hotel outside of training and matches.

Unbeaten after their first two matches, France will next face England at Twickenham on 13 March, Wales in Paris on 20 March before their rescheduled match against Scotland on 26 March.

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Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images