Rassie Erasmus pushes for a second South Africa 'A' clash

SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus is pushing for the British and Irish Lions' clash with the Stormers to be called off and replaced with a second clash against South Africa 'A'.

Erasmus, who is looking after the South Africa 'A' side with Jacques Nienaber still isolating, Jacques Nienaber said he is “begging” for the British and Irish Lions to consider scrapping their provincial tour match in favour of a second game against an SA A side.

“I’m going to beg until we find really good medical reasons why that is not the safest? I can’t see why that can’t be the safest option. We have negative cases and we’re all living in bubbles, and you can’t have any contact with any team from the outside,” Erasmus said at the SA A team announcement on Monday.

“For me, that is the safest way, and it will give us the best preparation to be good competition for the Lions and I’m sure Warren would want us to be at full strength and have good match fitness before we play them in the first test.

“I can’t say I’m confident. I’m hoping.” 

British and Irish Lions' head coach Warren Gatland was not on the same page as Erasmus as he quickly shot down the idea saying: “Nah, we won’t be playing them again on Saturday,"

Erasmus added that most of the Springboks' positive cases came once they have played Georgia and that the bio bubbles that the Lions and South Africa were in would pose a far lesser threat to the Tour than if Gatland's charges faced the Stormers or Sharks.

“For me, and this is my view, it will be the safest. We’ve been tested negative two days in a row and we don’t have a positive case in this squad currently where we are. We are in a hard bubble, we are moving nowhere and everybody is negative.

“The British and Irish Lions squad is negative. My honest opinion is that if they are going to play against a team like the Stormers or Sharks, and if we play against a team like the Sharks, the chances of infection are as good as it was when we played Georgia.”

The SA Director of Rugby added: 

“I’m also sure that Warren and the guys wouldn’t be afraid or scared or say no to that.

“If I could have my way and we could ask for that, it would be fantastic. People will enjoy it. 

“I can’t just make those decisions - there are a Lions board, CEOs and others on board.”