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The Springboks' second match versus Georgia has been cancelled

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

SA Rugby have confirmed that this Friday’s scheduled second Springboks Test against Georgia has been cancelled, the call-off becoming the latest blow to affect the British and Irish Lions tour after Warren Gatland’s squad had their game next Saturday versus the Bulls postponed. 

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It was revealed on Tuesday that four Bulls players and one member of management returned positive tests for Covid, which resulted in their match with the Lions in Pretoria getting shelved.

It also emerged that four positive results were found among the Georgia team along with four additional positive tests amongst the Springboks players (Marvin Orie, Frans Steyn, Handre Pollard and Frans Malherbe) plus six among management, including head coach Jacques Nienaber, and one masseuse.

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Steve Tandy on what the Lions will face versus the Sharks

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Steve Tandy on what the Lions will face versus the Sharks

The outcome has been for the Springboks versus Georgia second Test in Johannesburg to be cancelled because of the infections in both camps. An SA Rugby statement read: “It was confirmed that the risk of further infection made it impossible to continue with the match.”

SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux added: “In the context of the loss of life and economic damage that Covid and this third wave are wreaking, the cancellation of a rugby match is pretty trivial. But it is still a major disappointment for the many stakeholders who have invested so much time, energy and resources into making these matches happen. 

“I especially feel for the fans and players, and for our visitors from Georgia who travelled here at relatively short notice to take on the series, which has now been cut short. We’ve not been able to interact with them because of the bio-secure environments, but I’d like to thank them publicly for their support. We continue to plan for the Springboks’ re-emergence from isolation and the completion of the Test series but in the short-term, we wish a speedy recovery for those who have been infected.”

The Springboks’ travel plans are now being reviewed to comply with Covid-19 protocols and a South Africa A team is scheduled to play the Lions in Cape Town on July 14.

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Nickers 38 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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