Just one French player in swine flu isolation

Fears of a swine flu outbreak in the French rugby league team ahead of this evening's game (6am Sunday NZ time) against New Zealand have abated, with only one player now in quarantine.

French coach Bobbie Goulding had said several players and staff had caught swine flu, causing some panic, but officials told Fairfax yesterday morning that it was now clear that only one player, Dimitro Pelo, remained at risk. Pelo has been confined since Sunday but had not yet tested positive for swine flu.

Fullback Clint Greenshields, who had been wearing a medical face mask around the French team hotel, was cleared early this morning (French time) and French RL president Nicolas Larrat told tournament officials all other tests that had come back were negative.

Pelo too could yet be cleared to play, although tournament communications manager Craig Spence confirmed no player with a confirmed case of swine flu would be permitted to take the field.

Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney told Fairfax he was not concerned, adding: "I am sure the RFL [British governing body] will take the appropriate measures to ensure we are protected.''

The French have suffered a severe injury crisis, had only 16 fit players on Monday, and on Friday night drafted in two Kiwi-born, residentially-qualified players, Artie Shead and Andrew Bentley, to their squad, and were given a dispensation to delay naming a side beyond the usual 6pm Friday deadline.