French Top 14 suspended due to coronavirus

NEWS: The French Top 14 rugby championship has been suspended due to coronavirus worries, the National Rugby League (LNR) said on Friday.

The next fixtures in the tournament were set for March 21-22 but the competition organisers have put the season on hold.

Second-tier ProD2 has also been stopped and two matches scheduled for Saturday will not take place.

"Health is the absolute priority. We now suspend our Top 14 and ProD2 competitions in this exceptional context which spans our country. The essential is to stay together in this period of national solidarity," LNR president Paul Goze said in a statement.

France's final game of the Six Nations set for Saturday in Paris was postponed last week following the outbreak.

Amateur rugby in France has also been stopped for the time being because of COVID-19.