Paris (AFP)
Green light for the Blues.
Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu confirmed on Tuesday that the Six Nations Tournament will take place "on the scheduled date, with a health bubble, as during the Tour de France".
Threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic, shaken by the establishment of septaines, the Tournament will therefore take place from February 6 to March 20 and will begin for the XV of France with a trip to Rome, Saturday, to face Italy .
"It was a decision expected by everyone in rugby: the FFR submitted a rigorous, strict protocol to us, which was submitted to the health authorities. The decision was taken within the government to ensure that the Tournament des six nations will be held on the scheduled date, from February 6 with a health bubble, as during the Tour de France ", explained the Minister of Sports on Tuesday in the program" Télématin "on France 2.
"The constraints will mean that players will be excluded from the septaine normally in force, since they will be tested every three days and remain in a closed bubble," she added.
To convince the authorities, worried about the spread of more contagious variants, the Federation and the organizers had to comply with a strict protocol.
"We only leave the hotel for training, we pass two or three tests a week. So we really do everything we can to stay within the rules and be careful", confided the second line from Montpellier. Paul Willemse.
- Without septaine, with protocol -
The French authorities validated the health protocol presented by the organizers of the Tournament during the week.
And the Blues, meeting in Nice from January 24 to February 4, continue their preparation, following a reinforced health protocol.
In order to limit the comings and goings of the players between the cocoon of Nice and their club, the France group can no longer have 42 players but 31 at most, for the eight weeks of the competition.
The Federation and the League formalized a new agreement to this effect on Saturday.
Locked in their hotel on the Promenade des Anglais, privatized for the occasion, the men of Fabien Galthié follow a strict protocol which aims to "prevent the birth of a possible outbreak, detect it and contain it", explained the FFR to AFP.
"The bubble was built in Nice with a hotel where there is only us, transport where there is only us, facilities where there is only us ...", detailed in a interview with AFP the vice-president of the Federation Serge Simon.
"All the people who cross the France team must belong to this bubble, including when traveling. We will also be on private flights. And this is valid for all the teams in the competition," he said. he also clarified.
The XV of France, folded in its cocoon, has already ruled out a first threat.
He can now focus on the Italian danger to avoid a first setback against Squadra Azzurra since the 23-18 of February 3, 2013.
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