The British & Irish Lions will play back-to-back matches against the Cell C Sharks on Saturday, in replacement of the weekend’s original game against Vodacom Bulls which was postponed due to members of the South African team testing positive for COVID-19, the Lions announced on Thursday.
Lions Rugby said the change is to ensure the team can continue to prepare for the Test series against the Springboks later this month.
“We’re very grateful to the Sharks for agreeing to play us again this Saturday at Loftus Versfeld,” Ben Calveley, Managing Director for The British & Irish Lions said in a statement.
“We have further COVID-19 testing scheduled for today and tomorrow [Thursday and Friday]. The results of those tests will determine whether we will be able fulfill this fixture, but, as it stands, we are optimistic. We remain committed to the Tour in South Africa and determined to rise to the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Lions beat the Sharks 54-7 in Johannesburg on Wednesday. The game kicked off an hour later than scheduled due to a number of positive COVID-19 cases found earlier in the day.
The schedule change means the Sharks’ game against Sigma Lions on Saturday has been cancelled with organisers yet to decide where the points will be allocated.
“The choice of the Cell C Sharks was dictated by the fact that they have been in a bubble, have returned negative tests throughout and were prepared to take on the fixture,” Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby said in a statement.
“No other team in the country could meet those conditions right now — without going into a five-day lockdown. It is not an ideal situation, but COVID-19 has made sure that we do not live in an ideal world,” she added.