The Lions' second match in South Africa will go ahead tonight despite the confirmation that one of the team management and a player has now tested positive for Covid-19.

As a result eight players and four staff members have been placed in isolation as close contacts, meaning Warren Gatland has been forced into wholesale changes to his team and bench at the 11th hour.

Josh Adams, Louis Rees-Zammit, Owen Farrell and Ali Price come into the team as Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Dan Biggar and Gareth Davies drop out, while Finn Russell is the only back on the bench as Maro Itoje, Hamish Watson, Russell and Taulupe Faletau replace Tadhg Beirne, Conor Murray, Stuart Hogg and Chris Harris.

"No bubble is entirely impenetrable," Lions managing director Ben Calveley said.

"We very calmly work through the challenges as they present themselves, the focus today is getting this fixture over the line which we have.
"We're working with the SARU to try and find alternative opposition on Saturday."

Although the Lions were offered vaccines before travelling, Calveley said not all members of the touring party have been vaccinated.

The match kick-off time was put back to 7pm. The Lions players had been isolating in their bedrooms all day as a result of the initial positive case and have been tested to ensure it is safe for the match to go ahead.

The news that the match will go ahead came through at 5.15, meaning the Lions and the Sharks are now making the 40-50 minute journey to Ellis Park now where the match will take place behind closed doors.

Iain Henderson captains the Lions for the first time, with Bundee Aki also in the starting line-up, while Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan and tour captain Conor Murray are on the bench.

The fact the game will go ahead will come as a major relief to the players whose opportunities to impress have been reduced as a result of the game against the Bulls on Saturday being postponed as a result of a Covid outbreak in the Bulls' camp.

South Africa's preparations have also been severely disrupted because of the pandemic, with the squad in isolation after 12 cases were confirmed on Tuesday.

Their fixture against Georgia, who also have an outbreak, on Friday has been cancelled.