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Touring Lions willing to face Georgia: 'Anything is possible through Covid,' says assistant coach

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Steve Tandy, Warren Gatland (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Steve Tandy, Warren Gatland (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Lions assistant coach Steve Tandy says it's not outside the realms of possibility that the British and Irish Lions and Georgia play each other this weekend with the Covid-19 situation currently in the Springbok and Bulls camps.

Lood de Jager tested positive for the virus on Monday with the national team suspending their training sessions as well as the team announcement on Tuesday.

"The team suspended their training programme for Monday and placed the squad in preventative isolation prior to further PCR testing and a review by the Medical Advisory Group (MAG)," a statement released to the press on Tuesday read.

"The entire team and management had PCR tests on Tuesday morning, and will remain in isolation until the results and subsequent recommendations are received from MAG.

"A team update will be issued in due course," the statement added.

Earlier on Tuesday, SuperSport reported that there were several Covid-19 positives in the Bulls camp.

Jake White's men are set to face the British & Irish Lions on Saturday at Loftus.

In the tourist's press conference on Tuesday, Tandy was asked if the Lions could possibly play Georgia, if their game against the Bulls and South Africa's clash against Georgia were called off. 

“Anything is possible through Covid. We have seen that," said Tandy.

"If there is an opportunity if a game is called off to play a game, then that would be great for us and for whoever else is looking for a game,” he added.

“We haven’t confirmed anything but we have spoken. We will travel down to Cape Town over the weekend so we would probably give an extra day off, potentially maybe train a little bit harder on the Friday, but again that would be something that we would firm up when we get confirmation around what will happen.

“There has nothing been confirmed," added Tandy.

The Lions face the Sharks on Wednesday in their second match of the tour.

Kick-off is at 19:00.

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