Six Nations: France postpones Ireland match due to coronavirus

France's Six Nations rugby union match against Ireland has become the second high profile sporting fixture to be disrupted on Monday as part of the French government's attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

France rugby union coach Fabien Galthié has steered his side to three victories in the 2020 Six Nations tournament. Reuters/Peter Cziborra

The game was due to be played on 14 March at Paris' Stade de France, which can hold up to 80,000 people.

But it was postponed in the wake of an emergency cabinet meeting's decision to ban all gatherings of more than 1,000 people.

Earlier on Monday, the Paris police prefecture ordered Paris Saint-Germain's second leg game against Borussia Dortmund in the Uefa Champions League to be played behind closed doors.

France is the second-worst affected country after Italy whose Six Nations games against Ireland and England have been postponed as part of its battle to stop the spread of the virus.

Times

With those ties and the game between France and Ireland still without a new date, it could be months before the final configuration is known.

France lie second in the table in the Six Nations tournament following their first defeat of the 2020 campaign in Edinburgh on 8 March. Scotland beat them 28-17 to end the visitors' ambitions of their first Grand Slam – five tournament wins – since 2010.

Their hopes were dented just before half-time when Mohamed Haouas was sent off for punching Scotland's Jamie Ritchie.

However footage from French TV cameras claim to show Nick Haining making contact with Haouas eyes in a scuffle beforehand.

Review

"We have found some quite revealing images that I have transferred to the disciplinary commission," said France team manager Raphael Ibanez.

"We have filled our dossier as precisely as possible. It's now in the hands of the disciplinary commission."

"Haouas' punch was justifiably punished but we need to understand why. It wasn't by accident," he added.

Fabien Galthiée, France's head coach, said his side's inexperience was highlighted by the incident.

"We're a team in the process of being built. If Momo fell to the ground at that moment, it would have stopped there," he said.

"It's part of playing away from home. If Momo went to ground calmly, things could have been different."