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Chabal and another ex-French international reveal respective battles with coronavirus

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images

Two ex-French internationals have spoken about how they contracted coronavirus last month and how they have since successfully overcome the illness. Speaking on the Canal Rugby Club television programme, Sebastien Chabal and Thierry Dusautoir provided reassuring news that they now recovered and are back in rude health.

Chabal explained that he contracted the virus at the start of the confinement period in France and said he felt flat for a week. Meanwhile, Dusautoir described two complicated weeks before he eventually felt better. 

“As you can see, we are pretty much in shape,” said Chabal, a veteran of 62 Test appearances for his country. “For my part, I think I caught it at the very beginning of confinement. I was flat for a week but nothing too serious compared to everything we hear and everything that touches us around us.”

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Taking up the story, the 80-times capped Dusautoir said: “I was in the same situation as Sebastien. On March 14 or so, I had the appearance of symptoms. It’s been two pretty tiring, exhausting weeks, but again, everything is fine for me and my family. In the current context, we are still lucky.”

Colleagues on the 2010 Grand Slam-winning squad, both of the ex-French internationals are now rugby pundits for the Canal + channel.