RASSIE ERASMUS WANTS the British and Irish Lions to change their fixture schedule in order to take in another game against the South Africa A team on Saturday.

The Lions are currently due to play the Stormers in Cape Town this weekend, following their midweek clash with South Africa A on Wednesday.

Yet Erasmus, South Africa’s director of rugby, believes the Lions should cancel their planned fixture with the Stormers to instead play South Africa A again after a week which saw Covid-19 cases rock both the Lions and Springbok camps.

The Lions were forced to postpone last Wednesday’s game against the Sharks by an hour, and ended up naming just one back among their replacements after reporting two positive cases in their camp, with others ruled out as close contacts. The Lions then ended up playing the Sharks again on Saturday after their planned meeting with the Bulls had to be scrapped due and outbreak of Covid in the Bulls camp.

The Springboks meanwhile saw their second warm-up game against Georgia last Friday called off as Covid hit both squads following their first encounter on 2 July.

And given the disruption of the last week, Erasmus says the best option for all involved would be for the Lions to take on South Africa A again this weekend, in a bid to reduce contact and exposure with other squads.

“For me, in my view, that would be the safest (option),” Erasmus said, speaking shortly after naming a strong South Africa A team for Wednesday’s game.

“We’ve been tested negative now two days in a row, we don’t have a positive case within the squad currently in our Cape Town hotel. We are in a totally hard bubble, moving nowhere. The British and Irish squad is negative.

“My honest opinion is that to play a team like the Stormers or the Sharks, I think the chances of infection is as good as we had when we played Georgia (on 2 July). Up until the Georgia Test match we had one case, which was RG Snyman, and then after the Georgia Test match we had eight management alone (test) positive.

“So I think the moment you bring teams from the outside in – not that I’m pointing fingers at Georgia – I’m just saying it is a very tough situation to control. 

“Like when we brought guys in, the guys we brought in from abroad like Vincent Koch and RG Snyman, although they were false positives, that’s when we actually got infections. It wasn’t when we were staying in our bubble. After we played Georgia, that’s when all our infections started. 

So I think, in my opinion, if the two of us can play a South Africa A game on Wednesday, and play another one on Saturday, I think medically, (in terms of) player welfare and also for the spectators, it would be wonderful to have two good match-ups in mixing teams and playing twice, and I’m sure Warren (Gatland) and the guys wouldn’t be afraid or scared or say no to that.”

However Erasmus stressed that it could be difficult to change the Lions schedule for the weekend on such short notice.

“If we were so powerful as to change it (the schedule), we would just ask Warren and the team to play another South Africa A game on Saturday,” he said.

“If I could have my way, and we could ask for that, that would be fantastic and I think the people would enjoy it. 

“That would be ideal, but obviously I can’t just make those decisions. There’s a Lions board and CEOs, and a lot of other stakeholders involved.”

At the same time as Erasmus was speaking, Warren Gatland was holding his own press conference, where he insisted the Lions would be playing the Stormers as scheduled on Saturday.

“Well I’m going to beg until we find really valid medical reasons why that is not the safest (option),” Erasmus added.

“I just can’t see why that can’t be the safest option, where we just have all negative cases, we’re all living in bubbles, and you just don’t get any connection with any teams from the outside.

For me, that’s the safest way and I think that will give us the best preparation to be good competition for the Lions (in the Test series) and I’m sure Warren would want us to be at full strength and at full match fitness before we play them in the first Test match. I can’t say I’m confident (it will happen, but), I’m hoping. “

Erasmus has taken the coaching reins for the week, with South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber still self-isolating after testing positive for Covid.

And after including 18 World Cup winners in the South Africa A team for Wednesday’s meeting with the Lions, he admitted that getting his players up to match fitness in time for the Test series is a concern given the Springboks’ disrupted preparations.

“I don’t think our situation is to do so much with gelling (as a team) at this stage, I think it’s with match fitness. That’s probably our problem, because when you do get Covid, you are ill, and you must recover from Covid. Some guys do sometimes have symptoms.

“Our match fitness in terms of when some guys last played is a bit of a worry. The fact that we have played together a lot of times, I don’t think the gelling part is as tough as what Warren has on his hands.”  

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!