Green light for Lions to face Sharks after Covid tests

The British and Irish Lions have been given the green light to play Saturday’s match against the Sharks in Pretoria after the latest round of PCR testing returned negative results.
By Duncan Bech
Published 9th Jul 2021, 15:00 BST
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The player who initially produced a positive on Wednesday has since tested negative twice, allowing all but one of the squad personnel who were isolating at the team hotel in Johannesburg to come into contention for selection once more.

England hooker Jamie George will lead a side containing 13 changes from the XV that thumped the same opponents 54-7 at Emirates Airline Park on Wednesday with centre Elliot Daly and wing Duhan van der Merwe the survivors.

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The teams clash for a second time in four days after the Bulls, Saturday’s original opponents, were forced to pull out because of an outbreak of coronavirus.

British and Irish Lions' Jamie George (left) and Courtney Lawes during the captains run Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg, South Africa.British and Irish Lions' Jamie George (left) and Courtney Lawes during the captains run Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg, South Africa.
British and Irish Lions' Jamie George (left) and Courtney Lawes during the captains run Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar were the intended half-backs for the first meeting until they were forced to quarantine but they start at Loftus Versfeld, while Anthony Watson makes his first start of the tour on the right wing.

Related topics:British and Irish LionsSharksPCREngland

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