James Robert Hall of Stade Francais during the Top 14 rugby match between Stade Francais and Stade Toulousain in January this year. Photo: Getty ImagesFrench Top 14 club Stade Francais have cancelled a pre-season match because some of their players have developed lesions on their lungs after contracting Covid-19 and need an extra week to recuperate. Covid-19, it appears that some of them have suffered lung damage due to the virus," the club said in a statement on Wednesday. Stade Francais said earlier this month that the health situation at the club had deteriorated to the extent that the whole squad would be placed in isolation until at least August 17. The 2019-20 Top 14 season was suspended in April because of the coronavirus outbreak and officially abandoned with no champions named in early June.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 20, 2020 02:03 UTC