The British Lions’ tour of South Africa is now in serious jeopardy after the squad recorded a positive test for Covid and their hosts were forced to call off a test match against Georgia due to a huge outbreaks in both teams.
The tour is in danger of falling apart as Covid rips across the country in a third wave, fuelled by the Delta variant, which is also driving infections in the UK.
In the latest development, the Lions' camp has been struck by Covid after a member of the management team tested positive on Wednesday morning.
The British Lions tour to South Africa is in chaos with the tourist and hosts now hit by Covid
Four close contacts – including two players and two members of staff – have subsequently been placed into self isolation.
Meanwhile, the South African squad has recorded 12 positive Covid cases, including head coach Jacques Nienaber and star fly-half Handre Pollard. The Georgian camp has four members affected.
South African Rugby insists they are planning for the ‘re-emergence from isolation’ of the Boks squad in time for the Lions’ test series, which begins on July 24.
However, the problems are mounting for the eight-match tour.
There has been a Covid outbreak in the Bulls camp – who the Lions were due to play in Pretoria on Saturday
The Lions are playing tonight (WED) against the Sharks in Johannesburg,and that game is still due to go ahead, provided a subsequent round of PCR testing returns negative tests on Wednesday afternoon.
However the kick-off time has been shifted back an hour, resulting in a clash with England’s Euro 2020 quarter final, to allow time for test results.
‘We have followed all necessary precautions since the start of the Tour, which included regular testing and rigorous COVID-19 counter measure planning and protocols,’ said Ben