Lions squad on edge as boss Gatland starts to nail down his Test stars to face Springboks
LIONS boss Warren Gatland said the heat will go up this week as he starts to nail down his Test side.
The first of three matches against world champions South Africa begin a week on Saturday.
But before that, there are two crunch dress rehearsals against South Africa A on Wednesday and then The Stormers three days later – both in Cape Town.
And Gatland said: “The players have been brilliant here and they want to play for the Lions, but everyone’s dream is to be selected for that Test side.
“We understand that. You have to make some tough calls sometimes and people are going to be disappointed.
“Then there is how they respond to that disappointment.
“As we get closer and into next week, you’ll probably see a few of the tensions rising at training and the matches.
“But I’ve been really happy with the way we started the first three games of this tour.”
The Lions left attack coach Gregor Townsend and one player behind in Johannesburg as they touched down in Cape Town on Sunday morning.
They then drove an hour south to Hermanus where they will be based until the tour ends on August 7.
Yet there was more drama in the Springboks camp where World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi faces a battle to take on the Lions after getting Covid.
Kolisi is one of SIX stars who have caught the virus – taking the Springboks’ total number of cases in their squad to 14 players.
Boss Jacques Nienaber also has Coronavirus – with 11 more of their backroom staff struck down by the disease – taking their total number of cases to 26.
The Boks only returned to training yesterday for the first time in a week ahead of the first Test against the Lions a week on Saturday.
And in yet another dramatic turn on this chaotic tour the Boks have also had a visit from Nelson Mandela’s ex bodyguard.
Top security adviser Rory Steyn was planted in the camp to check if they were following strict bubble rules.
The other players who have Covid are Sale Sharks flanker Dan du Preez, prop Ox Nche, hookers Bongi Mbonambi and Scarra Ntubeni as well as winger Makazole Mapimpi.
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Speaking from quarantine after handing control of on-field matters back to Rassie Erasmus, boss Nienaber said: “We are delighted to be able to return to the field and resume our preparations for the Lions series.
“It has been a challenging week with the Test against Georgia cancelled and the entire squad self-isolating for a few days as a preventative measure.
“So the players cannot wait to get back on the park.
“These are extraordinary times and we have to adapt as a team, and I have to commend the players and management for that.
“We are a tight-knit coaching team and everyone takes responsibility in their respective roles.
“It is also great to have Rassie steering the ship while I am away.
“He has been part of the system for several years now and he guided most of these players to the Rugby World Cup title in 2019, so the team is in great hands.”
A South Africa ‘A’ team is set to face the Lions in Cape Town on Wednesday, although there has also been talk of swapping that game with The Stormers’ fixture on Saturday.