Galthie job safe, despite COVID blunder

REACTION: French rugby chief Bernard Laporte confirmed that national coach Fabien Galthie had left the Six Nations secure bubble to watch his son play a game, but that his job was not in danger.

Galthie was one of 16 members of the French squad to have tested positive for COVID-19, an outbreak which caused the postponement of this past Sunday's scheduled clash against Scotland.

Laporte told France 3 television that on the day after France had defeated Italy 50-10 earlier this month, Galthie left the bio-secure bubble.

He went to the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris to watch his 19-year-old son Mathis play a match.

"For me, he has the right to leave from the moment he is masked. He was outside," said Laporte, the president of the French Rugby Federation.

"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."

Laporte insisted that Galthie retains his full support.

"Why wouldn't I support him? I am not a prosecutor. And it's not because I really like Fabian. He knows very well that I don't give gifts to people."