South Africa have cancelled a training session after three Springbok players tested positive for COVID-19 on the eve on the British and Irish Lions’ departure to the country for a three-Test series next month.
First-choice scrum half Herschel Jantjies, prop Vincent Koch and wing S’bu Nkosi were named as the three players but South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said he did not think it was a serious matter and it would not impact on two warm-up tests against Georgia or on the Lions tour.
They will be the Springboks’ first Tests since they lifted the Rugby World Cup in Japan in November 2019 after the coronavirus pandemic kept them out of action in 2020.
“I don’t think (the positive tests) is a big cause for concern but we want to keep everybody as safe as possible,” Erasmus told a news conference.
“We have followed strict proposals and everyone is isolated at the moment.”
All South African players arriving at their Johannesburg hotel on Saturday underwent coronavirus testing and were not allowed into their rooms unless they had tested negative.
A PCR test returned the three positives cases and they were being re-tested. Erasmus said he hoped the re-testing would turn out negative with none of the trio showing any symptoms.
“If they are positive it is a case of being unlucky, not anything that they might have done wrong.”
Jantjies and Nkosi had been training with the Boks over the last weeks in Bloemfontein while Koch arrived at the weekend from English club Saracens.
The Springboks are in a bio-secure hotel where they are the only residents. They play two tests against Georgia on July 2 and 9.
The Lions leave for South Africa on Sunday for their eight-game 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.
South Africa is in the grip of a third wave of COVID-19 infections, led by the Delta variant that was first discovered in India, with president Cyril Ramaphosa scheduled to address the country later on Sunday when he is expected to announce tighter lockdown regulations.
You can check out the full Lions tour schedule as it currently stands right here on The Roar.
Yes suffering under others decisions is not good but when they are the ones making the decisions its difficult to feel empathy for the decision makers. SARU have a history of making bad decisions and blaming others.
BackInBlack
Guest
Don’t bother responding to that pathetic post Jacko. If South Africans want to talk about sincerity and things are so bad, why is their government fudging the numbers ? Why can’t South Africa manage a home test series when the rest of the rugby world is able to? South Africa made a conscious decision to withdraw from last year’s series because World Rugby promised they’d retain their ranking and boost $ for the lions series tv rights. Their players are active in European clubs anyhow. Poor form Wayne. If what you are saying is true take it up with your government, not Jacko
Wayne I feel sorry for what you are going thru or have gone thru but it has nothing to do with my post. The first sentence is followed by a LAUGHING emoji as in it was a joke and the second part of my comment questions whether the Boks “Positive” results are actually false positives or correct test results as the articles I have read suggest but dont state that they may be false results.
Wayne
Roar Rookie
Jacko, I wish 500 minutes could bring back my 4 family members and 2 close friends that died because of Covid. I think I should invite you to join in the next zoom call where the doctor is holding the phone in front of a loved one so that the family can say its goodbyes. This is done just before they get put into a coma, turned onto their stomachs and ventilated via tubes going through the back and rib cage into the lungs. I would be happy to discuss the “500” minutes with you afterwards. We can also compare it to surviving after being ventilated for 45 days.
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
:laughing: :thumbup:
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Well spotted Nicholas, but Harry beat you to it..
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
Are you channelling Brendan JN? :laughing:
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Exactly Harry.. My inspiration :happy:
Harry Jones
Expert
Venterism!!!
CW Moss
Roar Rookie
Wow that’s more than another level. Very serious.
Gilbert
Roar Rookie
Drinking detergent and uv light up the bum will kill covid - Stable Genius.
Ex force fan
Guest
I have 6 family members tested positive for COVID in the past week - the hospitals in Gauteng are already full and they have not reached the peak yet. It is very serious with almost 60,000 deaths already recorded vs 910 in Australia and 26 in New Zealand. The Lions tests can be in trouble
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
“A shower will minimise the risk of contracting the disease” - Jacob Zuma
Ulrich
Roar Rookie
Hardly news and not surprising at all. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry has COVID here now. Two people I work with, my mother-in-law, her husband, possibly my wife (symptoms but not tested), and one of my neighbours all have COVID currently. That's just around here on the property I live and work on that I know of.
Ex force fan
Guest
Jacko thought you may have been impressed that the words "Positive", "Test" and "Boks" are used in the same sentence. It would be funny if it was not so serious, many people with die and I have 6 people sick with covid in my family at the moment. I am sure South Africa would have loved to be in the position where their economy is back to better than pre-COVID levels and have the ability to lock-down to prevent the spread of the virus instead of just locking down when the hospitals are full. South Africa moved to Level 4 restrictions.
I see lots of positives about the negatives JN and some large negatives about the positives. :laughing: :laughing:
TBH Im starting to believe the tour will not go ahead. I see the England A game v Scotland was called off due to 3 covid positive players in the Scottish squad. Its also going to be interesting to see how RA and NZR handle the RC if these latest outbreaks arnt contained quickly.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
500 minutes? Yes we must try better than that.. We must try be better people.. We must try harder.. Be good World Citizens…we will try our best. Sensitive? Yes., yes we must be much less sensitive.. Sensitive is bad.. We must try our best.. Less sensitive.. Pathetic? .. Pathetic is bad.. Very bad.. We must try be less pathetic.. Postive Tests.? Yes positive is bad.. Very bad.. Negative is good.. We must try harder to be negative.. No positive.. I mean negative.. We must try harder.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
There are some sensitive people on here when you challenge the “500 minutes”. Looking forward to this years excuses and I sure hope they are as pathetic as last years.
Covid??? Whats that....They have 500 mins under their belts they can beat anything. :laughing: :laughing: Almost looks like it may even be false positives. How many of these positives tests have been false???