Boks’ final two Tests against Lions still scheduled to take place in Joburg

The British and Irish Lions look all set to complete their tour of South Africa in Gauteng, with their final two Tests against the Springboks to be played in Johannesburg – as originally planned.

This follows a few days of speculation that the Boks and Lions would play all three Tests in Cape Town, following a rise in Covid-19 cases in Gauteng in recent weeks.

The Lions’ tour match against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, scheduled for last Saturday, was cancelled because of an outbreak of Covid cases in Jake White’s squad.

Also, several members of the Boks squad, including coach Jacques Nienaber and captain Siya Kolisi, picked up Covid while in Joburg last week. There were also a few cases reported in the Lions squad.

As both the Boks and Lions squads moved down to Cape Town on Sunday for three matches – against SA A (Wednesday), the Stormers (Saturday) and the first Test against the Boks next Saturday (24 July) – there had been talk of the tour finishing in the Cape, with all the remaining matches to be played at the Cape Town Stadium.

However, a statement issued by SA Rugby on Monday morning suggested the Boks and Lions would return to Gauteng after the first Test – according to the original schedule – for the final two Tests at FNB Stadium, on 31 July and 7 August.

“The (Bok and Lions) teams will spend two weeks in the City (Cape Town) before they are scheduled to return to Gauteng for the final two Tests,” read the final sentence of the statement.

“This first Test match (next Saturday at Cape Town Stadium) has been on our minds almost since the day we won the Rugby World Cup, so to be here in Cape Town for the final preparations is really exciting,” said Rassie Erasmus, South Africa’s director of rugby, on Monday.

“It’ll be the first Test match ever played at the Cape Town Stadium and it’s special to think that this group will be the trail blazers for the venue if you think of the century of tradition that was laid down at Newlands. It’s a new venue for us and it’s also the start of a new history.

“Cape Town is now home for many of the management and several players which also adds to the excitement of getting back here.”

Erasmus was due to name the SA A team for Wednesday’s match against the Lions around 1pm on Monday.