Vincent Koch, Herschel Jantjies, and Sbu Nkosi tested positive for Covid after taking PCR tests on Saturday; Springboks cancel Sunday's training session and place entire squad into self-isolation; South Africa due to play Georgia on Friday, live on Sky Sports, ahead of Lions tour
Monday 28 June 2021 06:05, UK
South Africa cancelled a planned training session on Sunday ahead of their series against the British and Irish Lions after three players returned positive Covid tests.
A statement from South Africa Rugby confirmed the players were found to be positive after being tested on arrival in Johannesburg on Saturday.
They were later confirmed by director of rugby Rassie Erasmus as Vincent Koch, Herschel Jantjies, and Sbu Nkosi.
The entire squad have now entered into self-isolation "as a precaution", with SA Rugby saying a decision on further team activities will be made "shortly".
The Lions fly to Johannesburg from Edinburgh on Sunday night, with their opening tour match taking place in the city next Saturday.
SA Rugby said: "The Springboks cancelled Sunday's planned training session in Johannesburg as a precautionary measure when scheduled testing protocols returned three positive Covid-19 test results when the team assembled on Saturday.
"Three players tested positive for the virus following stringent real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing procedures on arrival at the team base.
"Team management immediately put the squad into self-isolation as a precaution until specialist medical advice is sought from the Castle Lager Lions Series Medical Advisory Group (MAG).
"A decision on further team activities will be made shortly.
"SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus emphasised that the team had followed all the necessary precautions since the start of the three-week conditioning camp hosted in Bloemfontein, which included mandatory Covid-19 testing three times a week, and that they would be led by specialist advice before any action is taken."
Erasmus said: "I don't think it's a big cause for concern but we want to keep everybody as safe as possible.
"We have followed strict proposals and everyone is isolated at the moment."
He also said the three positive players were being re-tested, and hoped they would turn out negative, with none showing symptoms.
"If they are positive, it is a case of being unlucky, not anything that they might have done wrong," Erasmus added.
Jantjies and Nkosi had been training with the Boks over the last weeks in Bloemfontein, while Koch arrived at the weekend from Saracens.
"It is disruptive but it has happened to other rugby teams over the last months and we have enough players in our camp to go ahead with our matches."
Erasmus said there is no threat to either the warm-up Test against Georgia - due to be played on Friday - or the Lions tour.
