Springboks cancel training, confirm positive Tests in camp

The Springboks have confirmed that three players have tested for Covid-19 and that they have cancelled their Sunday training as a pre-cautionary measure.

The timing of the outbreak is far from ideal for the Lions who are set to depart for South Africa. The country is enduring a third wave of the pandemic, with cases spiking in recent weeks.

The news confirmed rumours that began circulating on social media this morning, relating to an unspecified breakout in the squad.

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A statement from SA Rugby reads: “The Springboks cancelled Sunday’s planned training session in Johannesburg as a precautionary measure when scheduled testing protocols returned three positive COVID-19 test results when the team assembled on Saturday.

“Three players tested positive for the virus following stringent real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing procedures on arrival at the team base.

“Team management immediately put the squad into self-isolation as a precaution until specialist medical advice is sought from the Castle Lager Lions Series Medical Advisory Group (MAG).”

“A decision on further team activities will be made shortly.”

SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus emphasised that the team had followed all the necessary precautions since the start of the three-week conditioning camp hosted in Bloemfontein, which included mandatory COVID-19 testing three times a week, and that they would be led by specialist advice before any action is taken.

The revelation comes just hours after England A and Scotland A’s match at Welford Road was called off after over a third of the Scottish squad tested positive for the virus.

The Boks are scheduled to go into a bio-secure environment along with the Lions, who were leaving for South Africa on Sunday, and are also due to play two Tests against Georgia on July 2 and 9, their first since they lifted the Rugby World Cup trophy in Japan in November 2019.

The Lions will play eight games on the tour, starting on Saturday against South Africa’s Johannesburg-based Lions franchise. The three test matches against the Boks will be played on consecutive Saturdays from July 24.

additional reporting, AAP