The Lions tour of South Africa has descended into chaos after their match against the Bulls was postponed and the Springboks revealed 12 positive Covid cases in their camp.
The Lions’ tour match against the Bulls was due to take place this Saturday but will not go ahead as planned after four players and one member of the management team returned positive Covid tests.
Results came to light when their squad entered the five-day bubble ahead of the scheduled match in Pretoria.
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That game has been postponed with a view to rearranging it later in the tour, though the logistics of that are still being worked out.
The Lions are now attempting to find new opposition for Saturday, though nothing has been finalised.
A statement read: “The British & Irish Lions’ Castle Lager Lions Series match against the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday has been postponed with a view to rescheduling or to accommodate an alternative opponent.
“Four Bulls players and one member of management returned positive tests which, in combination with their close contacts, made it impossible for them to field a team, according to Series safety protocols.
“Series regulations make provision for additional midweek matches to be added on agreement between the organisations.”
If the Lions are unable to find opponents for this Saturday’s match, defence coach Steve Tandy mooted the idea of giving players an extra day off.
“We haven’t confirmed anything but we have spoken,” Tandy said prior to the news being confirmed on Tuesday afternoon.
“We will travel down to Cape Town over the weekend so we would probably give an extra day off, potentially maybe train a little bit harder on the Friday.
“But again that would be something that we would firm up.”
Meanwhile, it looks deeply unlikely that the Springboks will play their second Test against Georgia as scheduled this Friday night, though that game is not yet officially called off.
Earlier this week, the squad was placed in isolation for the second time in eight days after lock Lood de Jager returned a positive Covid test.
It has now been revealed that 11 further cases have been confirmed in their camp, including players Marvin Orie, Frans Steyn, Handre Pollard and Frans Malherbe and head coach Jacques Nienaber.
Other cases are among the backroom staff.
“These positive results are a setback and have underlined the danger of transmissibility of the delta variant,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.
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“The Springboks’ second Test against Georgia is now in serious doubt, but we will wait for the MAG to consider the data and we will make the final decision tomorrow.
“The priority is to maintain the integrity of the Test series and we will continue to focus on that.”
It had been mooted that, if the Springboks and the Bulls were unable to field teams then the Lions could face Georgia on Saturday night.
However, Los Lelos have returned four positive tests, ruling out such a Test match.
It all leaves the tour, which is taking place against a backdrop of surging Covid cases in South Africa, in total disarray.
The Lions’ match against the Sharks in Johannesburg tomorrow night, however, will go ahead as scheduled.
Decisions on South Africa’s game against Georgia and what the Lions will do on Saturday are to be made in due course.