THE LIONS HAVE only been in South Africa for just over a week and already we’ve had two instances of Covid-19 striking the build-up to the Test series.
Warren Gatland’s men themselves have so far escaped any positive cases but their opposition, the Springboks, have had to deal with two suspensions of their training due to Covid.
Given their long stint without training camps and Test rugby, the Boks could really have done with a smooth build-up to facing the tourists but that was never really likely given the alarming pandemic situation in South Africa.
Local reports tell us that the health system is buckling in Johannesburg, where the Lions and Springboks are both currently based. The Delta variant is wreaking havoc in this third wave of the virus around South Africa, where there were more than 24,000 positive cases on Friday and Saturday.
With all of that in mind, it was virtually impossible that two large rugby squads and their off-pitch staff would evade Covid completely, even with their full vaccinations and strict bubbles aimed at limiting their exposure to the outside world.
Last weekend, the Boks played Georgia and were without Sbu Nkosi and Vincent Koch – both World Cup winners – due to positive Covid-19 cases, while World Cup final starters Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi were unavailable after being deemed close contacts.
Now, World Cup final starting lock Lood de Jager has tested positive ahead of Friday’s rematch against Georgia. It’s not difficult to imagine this kind of thing happening in the week of one of the Tests, therefore depriving the series of some of its top players.
With the Lions in South Africa and the tour ploughing on, it’s very clear that SA Rugby and the tourists will do everything in their power to have the series played out. It remains highly likely that the three-game Test series will be moved in its entirety to Cape Town, where Covid numbers are currently not as high as Johannesburg.
With reports from South Africa already suggesting an extension of the current Level 4 lockdown beyond 11 July, both squads will continue their rigorous testing as they look to limit any potential outbreaks. The Lions players are tested three times each week and management repeatedly stress the importance of everyone sticking to protocols.
“You obviously do hope [Covid doesn't strike the squad],” said Lions prop Mako Vunipola today.
“You don’t want to get tested and the results come back [positive] but I wouldn’t say we’re anxious about it. The way that the camp’s being run, we’re very lucky that we’ve been in a bubble now for almost two weeks including the Jersey [training camp] weeks.
“So as long as players and people are doing what we’re told to with the protocols and all that, I don’t really see why people should be anxious about getting tested.
“As players, we got tested today and I guess it doesn’t really cross our mind, stuff like that. We’re in a hotel to ourselves so if we get Covid now it would be impossible to do anything else really.”
The first Test is now less than three weeks away, so there is lots of water still to go under the bridge and lots of boredom for the Lions to stave off in their team hotel.
They have repeatedly underlined how privileged they feel to be able to play on, but it is tough being away from family after 15 months of doing their utmost to avoid Covid and keep the games rolling.
“It’s obviously tough not to see your family or give your loved ones a hug or give them a kiss when you see them at the games, but Gregor [Townsend] made a good point that all the hard work that we’ve put in over the last four years in trying to make it into the squad, you don’t want to ruin that by 10 seconds of having a hug and getting Covid,” said Vunipola.
“So it’s tough the climate we live in nowadays with how the Covid virus is spreading and all that but for us as players, it’s very simple.
“You have your set protocols you have to follow here in the hotel and as long as you do that then you should be alright.”
