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 well," a reassuring Galthie said of his talismanic captain.

Galthie named Villiere, scorer of a hat-trick of tries in the 37-10 opening win over Italy and star of the 30-24 victory over Ireland, in place of Penaud, with Yoram Moefana retaining the other wing spot.

Moefana had stepped in after Villiere missed the 36-17 rout of Scotland with a facial injury.

Villiere is the sole change from that run-out in Murrayfield.

Dupont is joined at halfback by Toulouse team-mate Romain Ntmack, with Gael Fickou and Jonathan Danty in midfield, Moefana on the other wing and Melvyn Jaminet at full-back.

The pack is unaltered, New Zealand-born Uini Atonio and Cyril Baille propping up hooker Julien Marchand while Cameron Woki and South African-born Paul Willemse are named in the second row.

Anthony Jelonch, Gregory Alldritt and Francois Cros form an ultra-competitive backrow.

Prop Mohamed Haouas comes in for Demba Bamba among the replacements, Galthie going for a five-three forwards-backs split, with Toulouse winger Matthis Lebel named at the expense of Toulon lock Taofifenua after his positive test.