Bulls players, management to spend Christmas in isolation

The entire Bulls playing and management staff will be in Covid isolation until December 27, CEO Edgar Rathbone announced on Tuesday, but the awfulness of their situation is at least tempered by the opportunity to spend Christmas with their families.

The log-leaders’ vital Currie Cup match against the second-placed Lions has already been postponed to January 6 at Loftus Versfeld and the Bulls will end their round-robin campaign by travelling to Nelspruit just four days later to take on the Pumas.

“We have postponed the testing we were meant to have on Monday until Sunday, December 27, because it is still less than 10 days since the first positive tests and testing now would not give conclusive results, so we can get a more realistic picture next weekend,” Rathbone said.

“In the meantime the whole team is in isolation at home, which makes it easier to control the infection.

“They will have no contact with other people outside of their families and we hope getting to spend Christmas with their families means they can come back recharged and refreshed.

“Obviously it is not ideal, but it has given the bodies some time to recover. If the players are clear on the 27^th, then we will start training on the 28^th and that gives us a week and a bit to prepare for the Lions game.”

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Rathbone refuted suggestions that the Bulls were being unfairly favoured in being allowed to postpone their match against the Lions, who have already had to share the points from two of their matches, and said in fact it meant they were risking their top position on the log because they have to play twice in five days.

If the Bulls beat the Lions, then they can afford to play a second-string outfit against the Pumas and even if they lose they will still finish second on the log, the Sharks going top if they win their remaining three games.

“In terms of the tournament rules, the option has always been there to reschedule games and you need agreement between the two provinces, which we got last week already when we could see the Boxing Day match was at risk,” Rathbone said.

“Luckily our bye weeks are one week apart and the Pumas agreed to play us on the Sunday. But it means we have two games in a week, heading into the playoffs.

“The Lions will also play two games in a week before their bye, but for the integrity of the competition it is important this match is played. If the other matches could have been rescheduled then I’m sure they would have been.

“The log is important and we obviously want to finish on top, and it is a gamble that means we might have to prepare two squads that week. But the results will have to look after themselves.”

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