The Albany Gazette - France captain Dupont among Toulouse Covid-19 positives

"He was injured, now he has Covid," Lacroix told a press conference, confirming a rumour circulating since Thursday.

Lacroix did not give details on the other players involved.

The announcement comes two weeks before France's opening game of the Six Nations tournament on February 6 against Italy.

Lacroix was speaking after European Champions Cup organisers cancelled his club's home game on Saturday against Cardiff, leaving the reigning European champions at risk of failing to reach the last 16.

European Professional Club Rugby handed the Welsh side a bonus point 28-0 victory.

Lacroix said his side had enough fit players to fulfil the fixture but competition rules say clubs must follow their domestic league's coronavirus regulations.

Dupont, the world player of the year in 2021, had resumed training at the beginning of the week. He was supposed to make his return on Saturday against Cardiff.

The scrum-half, is one of 10 Toulouse players in the French Six Nations squad which is due to assemble on Sunday ahead of a training camp.

"We knew it was a possible hazard, but unfortunately we are used to it," Serge Simon, vice-president of the French Rugby Federation told AFP, adding that players who tested positive could "not join the gathering until later", once their tests are negative.

"What gives us some comfort is that the first match is not right away, so it will be fine," Simon said.

Short of match fitness, Dupont could stay with Toulouse for the Top 14 game against Racing 92 on January 29.

"If the French team lets us have him, it would be with great pleasure," said Toulouse backs coach Clement Poitrenaud although he said he was "not worried" about the player's "capacity" to "quickly get back into the rhythm".

"Antoine is a boy who loves rugby and can't stand being in the infirmary or at home. It is also a great frustration for him" that he has not played since December 11, said Poitrenaud.

"He's not a superman either, he can't keep going at such a high level of performance without having little slumps or injuries from time to time."

"It's also perhaps a blessing in disguise given the last three seasons, which have been very intense for him. Plus the media hype around him, which can suck up a lot of energy. He took advantage of this time to recover, to rest, to regenerate."

(B.Hartmann--BBZ)