SA Rugby has confirmed a double-header for Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, with South Africa 'A' taking on the Bulls before the Stormers tackle the British & Irish Lions later at the same venue.
The SA 'A' v Bulls game kicks off at 13:00, while the match between the Stormers and the Lions will take place as scheduled at 18:00.
The Bulls, who missed out on playing against the tourists on Saturday (due to positive Covid-19 tests in their camp), will now get an opportunity to be part of the Lions Series.
"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 CEO Jurie Roux said in a statement.
"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."
SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus was pleased to have an additional fixture following the cancellation of the Springboks' second Test against Georgia last weekend.
"We want to be as well prepared as possible when we meet the British & Irish Lions in the Lions Series, 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," said Erasmus.
"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 onto the field."
Both fixtures are subject to
final PCR testing for the Stormers squad on Saturday morning, SA Rugby added.