A second Super Rugby Unlocked match postponed

The Super Rugby Unlocked match between the Lions and Pumas scheduled for Emirates Airline 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, a SA Rugby statement said.

The decision was triggered on Friday following receipt of two further positive results from a second batch of tests after one player from the Phakisa 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 Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked programme at Loftus Versfeld on 20 November. Plans are already being made to reschedule both Pumas’ matches against the Lions and  Bulls.

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

This is the second Super Rugby Unlocked game that has been called off after the Lions game against the Cheetahs was also called off earlier in the competition.