Dupont gets nod for Wales game as France hit by Covid outbreak

Antoine Dupont will skipper France against Wales in the Six Nations in Cardiff on Friday as a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad has left coach Fabien Galthie preparing for the worst.

Star winger Damian Penaud misses out after a positive test, his place taken by the free-scoring Gabin Villiere, who sat out the Scotland win through injury.

Lock Romain Taofifenua will also skip the trip to Cardiff after testing positive for coronavirus.

"Damian Penaud and Romain Taofifenua will not travel following positive tests this morning," Galthie said after naming the team on Wednesday.

"We'd largely been spared that until now, but that's the way it is. We have the resources to front up against Wales."

Galthie did not rule out other players testing positive before Friday's match at the Principality Stadium, with a kick-off of 22:00 (SA time).

"We are preparing for it: we are waiting for information from the Six Nations Committee to find out if and when we will be retested," he said.

Penaud and Taofifenua, Galthie added, had discovered they had tested positive "this morning when they were packing".

"Psychologically, it's brutal. But we've got to keep going and the guys coming in are ready."

Dupont takes his place in the starting XV after overcoming a stinger sustained in training on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old scrumhalf was forced to leave the session early after coming off worse in contact with a fellow squad member, his left arm bandaged and iced.

The world player of the year, who had his elbow and biceps treated on the sidelines, has been crucial to France's current successful run: the team has notched up three wins from three matches and are bidding for their first Grand Slam since 2010, the last time they won the title.

"He's doing fine, very