NPR

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Thu Jul 08, 2021 11:53 am Any chance of it actually happening?

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 7:04 am Lions will depart for Slaapstad today and will enjoy the Republic of the Western Cape.

Chilli wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 7:07 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 7:04 am Lions will depart for Slaapstad today and will enjoy the Republic of the Western Cape.

Please don't give them Kaapse Covid. We want this series to continue.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 9:35 am 14 Bokke have Covid. They have been vaccined

Chilli wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:42 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 9:35 am 14 Bokke have Covid. They have been vaccined

Which 14?

sorCrer wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:44 am

Chilli wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:42 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 9:35 am 14 Bokke have Covid. They have been vaccined

Which 14?

News reports say 6. Oom hasn't got teh papers yet this morning in the backwater kakhuis of his.

sorCrer wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:44 am

Chilli wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:42 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 9:35 am 14 Bokke have Covid. They have been vaccined

Which 14?

News reports say 6. Oom hasn't got teh papers yet this morning in the backwater kakhuis of his.

assfly wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:34 pm Fez Mbatha called up as hooker cover.

I'm ery happy for him, but I do wonder where he genuinely is in the pecking order of the Bok 2 jersey.

assfly wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:42 pm Wilco Louw also called up.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:55 pm

assfly wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:42 pm Wilco Louw also called up.

Fat Frans is positive

Blake wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 1:02 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:55 pm

assfly wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:42 pm Wilco Louw also called up.

Fat Frans is positive

Didn’t know Wilco could play fly half, center and fullback. Quite versatile for a big man.

The Springboks will resume training on Sunday in preparation for the Castle Lager Lions Series after six rounds of Covid-19 testing and a six-day preventative self-isolation period cleared a large group of players to return to the field.


* Get DStv Premium to watch all British & Irish Lions action live *

All the players and management who had Covid-19 tests on Saturday returned negative test results, which paved the way for the players to train on Sunday.

Four rounds of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in the last week delivered new positive cases among the players and three among the team management.

The players who tested positive were Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Dan du Preez, (both loose forwards), Ox Nché (prop), Bongi Mbonambi, Scarra Ntubeni (both hookers) and Makazole Mapimpi (wing).

With the entire squad and management team confined to their rooms since Monday, however, the possibility of transmission through close contact has been mitigated.

With two hookers among the positive Covid-19 test results and all the players who tested positive expected to follow strict return-to-play protocols, Cell C Sharks hooker Fez Mbatha has been drafted into the squad as cover. Vodacom Bulls prop Lizo Gqoboka has also been called up as additional prop cover.

SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus will take the lead at the field training sessions with assistant coaches Mzwandile Stick, Daan Human and Deon Davids while Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber continues his self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 on Monday.

“We are delighted to be able to return to the field and resume our preparations for the Castle Lager Lions Series,” said Nienaber, who was in good spirits despite being in self-isolation. “It has been a challenging week with the test against Georgia cancelled and the entire squad self-isolating for a few days as a preventative measure, so the players cannot wait to get back on the park.

“The test against Georgia was important for us with an eye on preparing to face the British & Irish Lions, but these are extraordinary times and we have to adapt as a team, and I have to commend the players and management for that.”

Nienaber had no doubt the side was in good hands in his absence and said: “We are a tight-knit coaching team and everyone takes responsibility in their respective roles.

“It is also great to have Rassie (Erasmus) steering the ship while I am away. He has been part of the system for several years now and he guided most of these players to the Rugby World Cup title in 2019, so the team is in great hands.”

Nienaber welcomed Mbatha and Gqoboka the squad and said: “They have both been playing good rugby for their franchises.

“Lizo has played for the Springboks so we know him well, and Fez has an idea of the expectations of representing the country after playing for the Junior Springboks in the World Rugby U20 Championship, and he attended our Springbok alignment camps earlier in the year.”

“Fez also experienced first-hand what the British & Irish Lions have to offer after facing them in the midweek game on Wednesday, so we are pleased to welcome him to the squad and to see what he will bring on the training field.”

The South Africa ‘A’ team is scheduled to face the British & Irish Lions in Cape Town on Wednesday.

This will be followed by three test matches against the visitors in the historic series on Saturday, 24 and 31 July, and 7 August respectively.

Blake wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 1:06 pm*sigh*

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 2:10 pm SS

The Springboks will resume training on Sunday in preparation for the Castle Lager Lions Series after six rounds of Covid-19 testing and a six-day preventative self-isolation period cleared a large group of players to return to the field.


* Get DStv Premium to watch all British & Irish Lions action live *

All the players and management who had Covid-19 tests on Saturday returned negative test results, which paved the way for the players to train on Sunday.

Four rounds of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in the last week delivered new positive cases among the players and three among the team management.

The players who tested positive were Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Dan du Preez, (both loose forwards), Ox Nché (prop), Bongi Mbonambi, Scarra Ntubeni (both hookers) and Makazole Mapimpi (wing).

With the entire squad and management team confined to their rooms since Monday, however, the possibility of transmission through close contact has been mitigated.

With two hookers among the positive Covid-19 test results and all the players who tested positive expected to follow strict return-to-play protocols, Cell C Sharks hooker Fez Mbatha has been drafted into the squad as cover. Vodacom Bulls prop Lizo Gqoboka has also been called up as additional prop cover.

SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus will take the lead at the field training sessions with assistant coaches Mzwandile Stick, Daan Human and Deon Davids while Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber continues his self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 on Monday.

“We are delighted to be able to return to the field and resume our preparations for the Castle Lager Lions Series,” said Nienaber, who was in good spirits despite being in self-isolation. “It has been a challenging week with the test against Georgia cancelled and the entire squad self-isolating for a few days as a preventative measure, so the players cannot wait to get back on the park.

“The test against Georgia was important for us with an eye on preparing to face the British & Irish Lions, but these are extraordinary times and we have to adapt as a team, and I have to commend the players and management for that.”

Nienaber had no doubt the side was in good hands in his absence and said: “We are a tight-knit coaching team and everyone takes responsibility in their respective roles.

“It is also great to have Rassie (Erasmus) steering the ship while I am away. He has been part of the system for several years now and he guided most of these players to the Rugby World Cup title in 2019, so the team is in great hands.”

Nienaber welcomed Mbatha and Gqoboka the squad and said: “They have both been playing good rugby for their franchises.

“Lizo has played for the Springboks so we know him well, and Fez has an idea of the expectations of representing the country after playing for the Junior Springboks in the World Rugby U20 Championship, and he attended our Springbok alignment camps earlier in the year.”

“Fez also experienced first-hand what the British & Irish Lions have to offer after facing them in the midweek game on Wednesday, so we are pleased to welcome him to the squad and to see what he will bring on the training field.”

The South Africa ‘A’ team is scheduled to face the British & Irish Lions in Cape Town on Wednesday.

This will be followed by three test matches against the visitors in the historic series on Saturday, 24 and 31 July, and 7 August respectively.

The players who tested positive were Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Dan du Preez, (both loose forwards), Ox Nché (prop), Bongi Mbonambi, Scarra Ntubeni (both hookers) and Makazole Mapimpi (wing).

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 6:43 pm Duhan struggling with the red tale

Sards wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 5:53 am Duhan is a cracker of a player........Doubt Kolbe will contain him.

SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus will be announcing the team on Monday afternoon.

The Springboks and the British & Irish Lions arrived in Cape Town on Sunday for the eagerly awaited second stage of the Castle Lager Lions Series.
The Springboks took up residence in the City Centre while the tourists based themselves will split their time between the City and the Overberg as the teams prepare for the first of three tests.
The British & Irish Lions take on the Springboks at Cape Town Stadium on 24 July – their first test in the City since their Series-opening victory in 1997.
They also take on the South Africa ‘A’ team on Wednesday and the DHL Stormers on Sunday(TBC) and at the same venue in their final warm-up matches before the test series begins.
“This first test match has been on our minds almost since the day we won the Rugby World Cup, so to be here in Cape Town for the final preparations is really exciting,” said Rassie Erasmus, South Africa’s director of rugby.
“It’ll be the first test match ever played at the Cape Town Stadium and it’s special to think that this group will be the trail blazers for the venue if you think of the century of tradition that was laid down at Newlands. It’s a new venue for us and it’s also the start of a new history.
“Cape Town is now home for many of the management and several players which also adds to the excitement of getting back here.”
Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato welcomed the team’s arrival in the City – although strict Covid compliance protocols meant it could not be in person.
“It is really a pleasure to welcome the Springboks as well as the British & Irish Lions to our beautiful city,” said Mr Plato.
“We look forward to giving them the world-famous Cape Town hospitality. We are proud to partner with SA Rugby for the Cape Town leg of the tour.
“As a rugby-loving city, we are disappointed that they will not be able to experience the atmosphere at a packed Cape Town Stadium but we promise to make their stay in Cape Town a memorable experience.”
The teams will spend two weeks in the City before they are scheduled to return to Gauteng for the final two tests.

duke wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:25 am Lions team is up:

British and Irish Lions: Watson; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Aki, Adams; Biggar, Murray (capt); Jones, Owens, Sinckler, Itoje, Henderson, Navidi, Curry, Faletau.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Vunipola, Fagerson, Beard, Beirne, Simmonds, Davies, Daly.

Warren Gatland, has named his Lions team to play South Africa ‘A’ at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday 14 July (kick off 7pm BST).

Tour captain Conor Murray (Munster, Ireland) is named skipper of a starting XV which has 12 changes to the team that defeated Cell C Sharks 31-71 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening, with Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England), Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland) and Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) the only players retained.

Watson shifts from right wing to fullback with Harris moving to 13 where he is joined in midfield by Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland). Biggar will again start at fly-half.

The game against South Africa ‘A’ will be shown live and exclusively on Sky Sports and is the fourth match in an eight-game Series culminating in the three Tests against World Champions, the Springboks.

“We’re pleased to have arrived in Cape Town as we near the halfway stage of the Series,” said Gatland.

“Wednesday’s game against South Africa ‘A’ will be our toughest encounter since we arrived here and we’re looking forward to it. We expect them to be physical in the contact area and look to test us at scrum time.”

“I think we’ve benefitted from playing at altitude in the first three games. While the boys have felt it in their lungs, they’ll be all the better for it now we’re at sea level.

“As we move towards the business end of the Tour, it’s pleasing to see so many players putting in some stand-out performances. As coaches we want the players to make Test selection as hard as possible and that’s we’re seeing.”

SOUTH AFRICA ‘A’ v THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

15. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816

14. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby, Wales) #846

13. Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland) #844

12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland) #837

11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales) #836

10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821

9. Conor Murray – captain (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790

1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842

2. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829

3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825

5. Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland) #808

6. Josh Navidi (Cardiff Rugby, Wales) #854

7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853

8 .Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales) #779

Replacements:

16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) #851

17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England) #787

18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #848

19. Adam Beard (Ospreys, Wales) #852

20. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #838

21. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England) #849

22. Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales) #850

23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822

Wednesday 14 July 2021

Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 7pm (BST)