There was great disappointment and even dismay at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday night when SA Rugby officially announced that the match between the British and Irish Lions and the Bulls, that would have taken place this coming Saturday, was for the time being placed “on hold” due to positive Covid-19 Tests among some Bulls players and officials.

According to the official statement, the match “has been postponed with a view to rescheduling or to accommodate an alternative opponent”.

At the same time, SA Rugby announced that the Springboks’ second Test against Georgia on Friday is also being reviewed.

According to SA Rugby’s statement, four Bulls players and one member of their management returned positive tests which, in combination with their close contacts, made it impossible for them to field a team, according to Series safety protocols.

Series regulations make provision for additional midweek matches to be added on agreement between the organizations.

Edgar Rathbone, CEO of the Bulls, later told the media that they hope to reschedule the match for Tuesday 20 July in the week before the first Test between the Springboks and the British and Irish Lions.

Rathbone also confirmed that the Bulls’ squad has already received the Covid vaccine and that some of the players who tested positive this week were among those who have already been vaccinated.

The Bulls spent a lot of time and money launching a propaganda campaign around Saturday’s game, as the Bulls were the last provincial team to beat the British Lions when they managed to beat Martin Johnson’s team during the 1997 tour by 35-30. The two teams did not play against each other in 2009.

Meanwhile four positive results among the Georgian team and four additional positive tests among Springbok players (Marvin Orie, Frans Steyn, Handre Pollard and Frans Malherbe) plus six among the Springbok management, including head coach Jacques Nienaber, and one masseuse, have further complicated planning.

The latest medical data from the Springbok and Georgian teams will be assessed by the Medical Advisory Group (MAG) on Wednesday morning.

“These positive results are a setback and have underlined the danger of transmissibility of the delta variant. The Springboks’ second Test against Georgia is now in serious doubt, but we will wait for the MAG to consider the data and we will make the final decision tomorrow (Wednesday 7 July). The priority is to maintain the integrity of the Test series and we will continue to focus on that,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

A further update will be issued on potential alternative opponents for the Lions and on the Springboks’ second Test against Georgia as soon as the positions are finalised.

The British & Irish Lions’ match against the Cell C Sharks at Emirates Airline Park on Wednesday, KO 19:00 will take place as scheduled.

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