CAPE TOWN – SA Rugby finally confirmed that a South Africa A side will take on the Bulls as a final warm-up for the Springboks ahead of the British and Irish Lions Test series.
SA A will face the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday at 1pm, while the Lions will play their scheduled match against the Stormers at 6pm.
The governing body said both matches are “subject to final PCR testing for the Stormers squad on Saturday morning”.
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The Boks are in desperate need of game time after Covid-19 positive cases led to the cancellation of the second Test against Georgia earlier this month.
Many of the Test players turned out for SA A in their 17-13 victory over the Lions at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday night.
“We’ve been looking at options to get the Springboks an additional match to help with their preparations for the Tests, as well as an opportunity for the Bulls to be part of the series, and we’re very grateful that this game will take place,” SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said on Friday.
“It’s obviously not what we had planned when the fixtures were first scheduled, but due to the pandemic, the situation is very fluid.
“Having said that, a double-header in Cape Town on Saturday is certainly something to look forward to, and we’d like to thank everyone involved in making it a reality.”
Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus added: “We want to be as well prepared as possible when we meet the British & Irish Lions, and this additional match offers us an invaluable opportunity to work on our structures, while at the same time offering the players an opportunity to stake a claim for places in the Test team.
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“We had hoped for three matches in the build-up to the Test series, and the match against the Bulls means we will get exactly that before we line up against the tourists.
“The Lions series is a massive occasion for players and for rugby fans as it only comes around every 12 years, and it is vital that we are as well prepared as possible when we run on to the field.”
IOL Sport