Springboks get green light after Covid scare

The Lions Series Medical Advisory Group has found that there has been no slip-up in the Springboks’ Covid protocols and the squad was given the green light to resume training on Monday afternoon, despite two positive tests as they assembled in Johannesburg over the weekend.

“In light of… the strict precautionary measures taken by the team and the effective isolation protocols since the squad assembled, the Springboks can resume their training programme from Monday afternoon”, SA Rugby said in a statement.

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The advisory group is made up of medical experts from both South Africa and the four ‘home nations’, as well as SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux and Lions managing director Ben Calveley.

There were initially three positive tests reported, but scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, who has already been through a bout of Covid, was confirmed as being a false positive and will return to training. He is therefore likely to feature in the 23-man squad for the first Test against Georgia on Friday, but wing Sbu Nkosi and prop Vincent Koch will miss out because they have been infected by the virus, although they are asymptomatic.

Herschel Jantjies has returned to training after a false positive Covid test. Picture: Gallo Images

Some media have speculated that the entire Lions tour could be moved from Covid-ravaged Gauteng, but Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone, whose Loftus Versfeld stadium is set to host the first Test against Georgia and then the Bulls’ match against the Lions on July 10, dismissed the reports.

“We still have all the branding up in the stadium. We’re going ahead with preparations for Friday’s Test and next week’s game against the British and Irish Lions,” Rathbone said.

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“There have been no discussions with us about moving the tour matches out of Gauteng.”

The Springbok team to play Georgia, in their first Test since winning the World Cup final in November 2019, will be announced on Tuesday.

The Lions arrived in Johannesburg on Monday.