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French authorities confirm Ireland's Six Nations game in Paris will go ahead

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) have confirmed that next week's Guinness Six Nations meeting of...



The French Rugby Federation (FFR) have confirmed that next week's Guinness Six Nations meeting of France and Ireland will go ahead, despite coronavirus fears. 

The game had been in doubt due to the outbreak of COVID-19 which has claimed nine lives in France.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the threat of an epidemic in the country was inevitable.

The FFR had been locked in discussions with the French authorities from earlier in the week, despite the Six Nations assertion that all games not involving Italy will still go ahead.

An FFR statement says all Ireland v France games - including the Women's and U20 clashes - will go ahead as planned across next weekend, without the need to be played behind closed doors.

They say the games will be played as scheduled "provided they do not lead to the mixing of people from areas where the virus is particularly prevalent".

The FFR adds that they're "delighted to be able to welcome all rugby fans, who have planned to go to the stadiums", but warns them to take the appropriate sanitary measures to guard against the spread of coronavirus.

France continue their Grand Slam push against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Head coach Fabien Galthié has made two changes from the side that beat Wales a fortnight ago.

One of those changes has been enforced, with prop Cyril Baille ruled out through injury and he's replaced in the front row by Bordeaux Begles' Jefferson Poirot.

The other alteration sees fit-again winger Damian Penaud replace Teddy Thomas. Penaud had missed Les Bleus' first three games with a calf injury. Thomas drops out of the matchday squad entirely.

France XV v Scotland: 15. Anthony Bouthier (Montpellier); 14. Damian Penaud (Clermont-Auvergne), 13. Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92), 12. Arthur Vincent (Montpellier), 11. Gael Fickou (Stade Francais); 10. Romain Ntamack (Toulouse), 9. Anthony Dupont (Toulouse)

1. Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Begles), 2. Julien Marchand (Toulouse), 3. Mohamed Haouas (Montpellier); 4. Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92), 5. Paul Willemse (Montpellier); 6. Francois Cros (Toulouse), 7. Charles Ollivon (capt) (Toulon), 8. Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle)

Replacements: 16. Camille Chat (Racing 92), 17. Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), 18. Demba Bamba (Lyon), 19. Romain Taofifenua (Toulon), 20. Dylan Cretin (Lyon), 21. Baptiste Serin (Toulon), 22. Mathieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles), 23 .Thomas Ramos (Toulouse)

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Coronavirus Covid-19 Ffr France IRFU Ireland Six Nations