Boks go into lockdown as De Jager tests positive

THE entire Springbok squad has been placed in isolation after lock forward Lood de Jager tested positive for Covid-19, SA Rugby said yesterday.

The Springboks suspended their training sessioin after De Jager returned a positive test ahead of Friday’s second Test against Georgia in Johannesburg, and because of his close contact with a number of squad members, the entire group has gone into isolation.

The players have been placed in preventative isolation prior to further PCR testing and a review of the testing data by the Medical Advisory Group (MAG).

SA Rugby said in the statement that an update would be issued following the review by the MAG and further testing.

The Springboks also had to take preventative measures last week due to positive tests returned by three players.

More players were subsequently placed in isolation as they had come into close contact with those players.

The Springboks secured a 40-9 victory against Georgia at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria last Friday night in Jacques Nienaber’s first international assignment as head coach of South Africa.

It was the Springboks’ first Test in 20 months. Prior to that fixture, their last international game was in the World Cup final against England in Japan in 2019.

The latest development will certainly cast some doubt over the second Test against the Georgians ahead of the three-Test Series against the British & Irish Lions, which is scheduled to kick off in Cape Town on July 24.

Last week, however, following the positive tests, SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said he believed that the Georgia match was “by no means threatened” and that they would be well-equipped to field a match-day squad should there be any further disruptions brought on by more positive tests.

Erasmus added that “considering the third wave of (Covid-19) infections in the country, only ‘something external’ would be the reason for the first Test not going ahead”.