Covid and the Lions: It’s business as usual as team prepares for next game
Coach Ivan van Rooyen has said his squad is big enough for the franchise to deal with the Covid-19 setbacks suffered recently.
Lions coach Cash van Rooyen believes he has enough depth in his squad to deal with the Covid-19 setback. Picture: Getty Images
The Lions and Griquas’ Super Rugby Unlocked clash scheduled to be played at Ellis Park on Friday night will continue – for now.
After the Lions game against the Cheetahs was called off on Saturday because of several Covid-19 positive cases in the Lions camp, fears existed that this weekend’s match against Griquas would also be affected.
The Lions are set to announce their team on Tuesday for the game, but this is still to be confirmed.
A Lions spokesperson said on Monday that there were no major disruptions at Ellis Park Stadium or in the camp on Monday and that developments would be monitored.
“Our planning is of such a nature that we are currently busy preparing for this weekend’s clash,” the spokesperson said.
“Everything is continuing as normal at this stage and the next series of tests will be conducted as normal on Tuesday,” the spokesperson said.
SA Rugby have yet to mention any new date for the rescheduled Lions-Cheetahs match. Points have yet to be awarded for last Saturday’s “cancelled” match.
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To find a date which will suit both teams could turn out to be a tricky venture.
A likely date could be the weekend of November 28, but that is also currently the weekend on the new schedule for the first round of the Currie Cup, following the completion of the Super Rugby Unlocked competition the previous weekend. SA Rugby may decide to push back the start of the Currie Cup by one week.
Although 11 of the Lions players have been withdrawn from the team environment due to Covid-19 protocols, coach Ivan van Rooyen isn’t of the opinion the team will reach a point where they are unable to field a competitive side.
“I don’t think we will ever reach that point,” said Van Rooyen last week. “We have a competitive squad of 45 players so I firmly believe we have enough depth to overcome and cover such a scenario,” he said.
It is believed the Lions players who are currently in isolation include fullback EW Viljoen, centre Burger Odendaal, scrumhalf Andre Warner, props Ruan Dreyer, Wiehahn Herbst and Dylan Smith, hooker Jan-Henning Campher, flank Jaco Kriel, locks Willem Alberts and Wilhelm van der Sluys, and No 8 Hacjivah Dayimani.
In some good news for the Lions and despite the senior team’s game being called off on Saturday, the union’s U-21 team beat Western Province 54-19 on Sunday to set up a date in the final with the Blue Bulls – set to be played at Ellis Park this weekend.
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