Fabien Galthie breached Six Nations bubble

France head coach Fabien Galthie has retained the full support of French Rugby Federation boss Bernard Laporte, despite breaking Covid regulations.

The French team suffered a mass outbreak following the Ireland game, forcing their Six Nations encounter with Scotland to be postponed.

It has now been revealed that there were breaches of the bubble after Les Bleus thrashed Italy 50-10 in their opening match.

Went for waffles

Laporte confirmed to France 3 television that members of the squad went to eat waffles in Rome and that Galthie watched his son, Mathis, play in a match at the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris.

“For me, he has the right to leave from the moment he is masked. He was outside,” said Laporte.

“He watched the match alongside Thomas Lombard (the director general of the Stade Francais team), who himself is tested every three days and also wore a mask.”

“I don’t see where the problem could be but then again I am not a doctor.”

Galthie was one of the 16 members of staff or players to test positive for coronavirus, but Laporte has backed the France head coach.

He added: “Why wouldn’t I support him? I am not a prosecutor. And it’s not because I really like Fabien. He knows very well that I don’t give gifts to people.”