20 Nov 2020

Flying Fijians to have next Covid test on Monday

8:58 am on 20 November 2020

The Flying Fijians rugby squad will undergo another Covid-19 test on Monday, as the prospect of playing any international matches in 2020 remains in the balance.

29 members of the touring party tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week after the group, which includes 32 players and management staff underwent a further round of Covid testing on Monday.

It followed the cancellation of their Autumn Nations Cup rugby test against France, after five players had tested positive for the virus. This weekend's match against Italy has also been called off with Fiji forfeiting both matches by 28-0.

An additional round of testing had been planned for Wednesday but Fiji Rugby CEO John O'Connor told RNZ Pacific that has since been pushed back.

"The next full team test is for Monday," he said.

"Our focus now has been on quarantine and isolation until [the] test."

The Fijian squad remain in isolation in their hotel rooms in Saint Galmier in Central France, with the first tranche of players having arrived at their initial training base in Limoges almost four weeks ago.

Fiji are scheduled to play their final Autumn Nations Cup group match against Scotland at Murrayfield next weekend followed by a placing match against England, Wales, Ireland or Georgia, although the fate of both of those matches is also in doubt.

Leone Nakarawa was yellow carded in Fiji's defeat in Scotland.

Fiji last played Scotland in 2018. Photo: AFP