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Toulouse friendly cancelled after player tests positive for coronavirus
By Online Editors
Toulouse have cancelled their Friday night friendly against Montpellier after one of their players tested positive for coronavirus just a week before the start of the new 2020/21 Top 14 season.
A statement from the club read: "Following the daily tests carried out as part of the Covid-19 health protocol, set up by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby, the result of one of the members of the professional workforce was positive and forced the club to put him in isolation.
"His last samples taken this morning confirmed the positive result. The affected person was not suffering from any symptoms and was immediately placed in a fortnight as a precaution. Out of respect for medical confidentiality, his identity will not be revealed.
"For the sake of precaution, to guarantee the complete safety of all players, staff, organisers and spectators, the friendly match between Toulouse and Montpellier is cancelled.
"We hope that this measure, taken by mutual agreement with the managers of Montpellier and going beyond the LNR health protocol, will preserve the two teams in view of the resumption of the Top 14 next week.
"Your health, that of the players and of the entire Toulouse is essential and the club is bringing together all the means in its possession to preserve it." Montpellier tweeted a response to Toulouse, wishing them good luck and adding they will see them soon in the Top 14.
The cancellation caused by the coronavirus test means that Toulouse have only played two of their schedule three friendlies ahead of the new league campaign which quickly breaks off for the rescheduled Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final versus Ulster on September 20.
Toulouse, who beat Beziers 43-21 and La Rochelle 38-0 in their warm-ups, start their Top 14 campaign at Clermont on September 6.
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Latest Comments
Fantastic idea to fix your annual showpiece fixture (from the Wallabies perspective) to a national holiday. Look at the success this has had in the USA, where NBA and NFL fans pack multiple arenas across the country on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving, the two most widely-celebrated national holidays in North America, with millions more tuning in on TV. This allows fans to create an association between the holiday and the game, while the ANZAC Day example has the added benefit of the same two teams (who are already established historical and geographical rivals) playing each year, adding to the sense of tradition and deepening the rivalry with each iteration.
Would love to see this more widely-implemented across rugby. For instance, Ireland should seek to tie the opening fixture of the Women’s Six Nations to St. Patrick’s Day and host the game in the RDS with the Leinster Schools Senior Cup Final serving as an opener (bonus points if you make the opponent England every year). Would pack out the stadium and the School’s final fans always bring fantastic atmosphere!
Go to commentsI don't know if the players have talk to Galthie, but they should talk to their employers, the clubs, first. After losing Dupont for at least 9 months, I am sure Toulouse will applause this idea with their two hands….
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