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'How come the Lions' bubble is working?': Boks' bubble under scrutiny
The news that 10 members of the Springboks camp have tested positive for Covid-19 has sent shockwaves through the rugby world, with doubt creeping over the remaining viability of the British & Irish Lions tour.
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Four players, Marvin Orie, Frans Steyn, Handre Pollard and Frans Malherbe, plus six among management, including head coach Jacques Nienaber were among those who are now battling the virus.
The outbreak comes after lock Lood de Jager had already tested positive and begun isolating.
With the wider outbreak amongst the Springbok team, the certainty over whether the British & Irish Lions tour will be completed is up in the air. The Lions are due to play the Sharks on Thursday but Saturday’s fixture against the Bulls has been postponed.
Rugby media all over the world reacted to the news with a mix of shock, anger and disbelief. UK scribe Sam Peters wrote ‘this tour should never have happened’ and highlighted it as ‘another example of pro rugby putting profit over people’.
Controversial pundit Stephen Jones said the tour ‘seems ill-fated’, while Irish writer Ruaidhri O’Connor said he felt sorry for the players stuck in this situation for what should have been a career highlight.
It's the Lions players I feel sorry for, this should be the highlight of their careers and it's an utter mess
— Rúaidhrí O'Connor (@RuaidhriOC) July 6, 2021
Never thought I’d say this but does anyone actually care the Lions tour is happening? It will come again but this tour should never have happened. Another example of pro rugby putting profit over people.
— Sam Peters (@PlantedSam) July 6, 2021
Told ya the Lions should have just come to NZ.
— Jamie Wall (@JamieWall2) July 6, 2021
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Look, all I'm saying is that I'd make time in my Saturday to watch a Lions Test Probables vs Test Possibles tear-up.
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) July 6, 2021
https://twitter.com/neilfissler/status/1412369120285364228
The Lions tour seems ill-fated. Covid in the Boks camp and also in the Bulls camp, preparing for Saturday's game. If the Lions lose even one match from short tour it is very doubtful,if all the players can make a proper case for Test selection. So frustrating
— Stephen Jones (@stephenjones9) July 6, 2021
Tour was ill-fated before arriving in SA. Flew into the eye of a Covid storm. Except, everyone knew that and still went ahead with it 💰💰 https://t.co/vtnOrMqPUU
— Gary Lemke (@GaryLemke) July 6, 2021
mustn't lose sight of the fact that there are 20 people with Covid between the Bulls, Boks and Georgians. It's not just about rugby, but their health too. #LionsRugby
— Craig Ray (@craigray11) July 6, 2021
With the outbreak among the Springboks comes scrutiny as to how this actually happened, with many questioning what exactly are the protocols around the Springboks bubble given they are at home.
With the Lions camp free of any cases, fans begun asking why the Lions’ bubble is working but the Springboks isn’t. Some fans online wanted an explanation into how the Springboks bubble works, and whether the players are vaccinated.
Unacceptable.
No matter how it happened. How come the Lions’ bubble is working?— Kristine Janse Van (@JanseKristine) July 6, 2021
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Are the guys still being allowed to go home on weekends?
Surely by now the Boks should be in a permanent bubble to make sure there are no possible risks.— TheYellowCapSports (@YellowCapSports) July 5, 2021
Please can you explain how the bubble actually works. Why was it not secure enough?
— Finniegan (@Finnie9) July 6, 2021
Who broke the bubble?
— Daniel Steyn (@DSSteyn) July 6, 2021
Good luck!
It’s as if they don’t want to play the Series the way Springboks are so careless about BIO BUBBLE!
Mxim
— RHABULA ?? (@SportsInterval) July 6, 2021
Lions bubble seems strangely more secured… what are the boys doing ? Come on now
— Brice Oka (@briceoka) July 5, 2021
While the Springboks bubble has burst, the Blue Bulls franchise also has come apart with four cases of their own. Georgia, who played the Springboks on the weekend, also have cases within their squad.
SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux warned of the worsening situation in a statement and said everyone is awaiting more data. He said the integrity of the test series must be maintained as the priority.
“These positive results are a setback and have underlined the danger of transmissibility of the delta variant,” Roux said.
“The Springboks’ second test against Georgia is now in serious doubt, but we will wait for the MAG to consider the data and we will make the final decision tomorrow [Wednesday].
“The priority is to maintain the integrity of the test series and we will continue to focus on that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments