Another Super Rugby Unlocked match called off

NEWS: The Super Rugby Unlocked match between the Lions and Pumas scheduled for Ellis Park on Saturday has been postponed in line with COVID-19 protocols.

The decision was taken as part of prescribed precautions advised by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to limit the risk of further infection in the rugby community.

The intention is to reschedule the match as soon as possible.

The decision was triggered on Friday following receipt of two further positive results from a second batch of tests after one player from the Pumas returned a positive result in scheduled testing earlier in the week.

Contact tracing protocols were followed which identified that all the infected players were engaged in a scrumming session. As a result, a number of the Pumas forwards have been placed in quarantine for ten days.

The Pumas are scheduled to conclude their Super Rugby Unlocked programme at Loftus Versfeld on November 20. Plans are already being made to reschedule both Pumas’ matches against the Lions and Bulls.

The Griquas match against the Sharks (Friday, 13 November) and the Stormers meeting with the Cheetahs (Saturday, 14 November) are unaffected.

The Lions v Pumas match is the second Super Rugby Unlocked match to be postponed.

The Lions’ Round Three match with the Cheetahs on October 24 was also called off due to COVID-19 protocols. The match was declared a draw.