Fresh Covid-19 uncertainty is hanging over the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa following a positive coronavirus test which has forced the entire Springbok squad into isolation. Squad training was cancelled on Monday after the Sale lock Lood de Jager was found to have tested positive, raising renewed questions about possible disruption to the upcoming Lions Test series. With the host nation in the grip of a spiralling third wave of infections, the Boks are now awaiting the results of additional testing which will determine if the warm-up Test against Georgia in Johannesburg on Friday can proceed as scheduled. South Africa also had three positive Covid cases in their camp last week but the first Test against Georgia in Pretoria last Friday went ahead. De Jager, only recently back fit after a broken leg and knee damage sustained in training at Sale, did not play in that fixture but had been hoping to return to action. He has now been required to isolate along with all his teammates. “The players have been placed in preventative isolation prior to further PCR testing and a review of the testing data by the Medical Advisory Group,” said SA Rugby in a statement. “Lood de Jager returned a positive outcome in scheduled testing and, because of his close contact with a number of squad members, the entire group has gone into isolation.” Last week the squad were cleared to resume training 24 hours later and one of the three positive tests was found to be a false result. Given the fast-rising number of cases in the Gauteng region, however, there is clearly potential for further disruption despite the measures being taken to keep the respective squad bases Covid free. The Lions players and staff are being tested three times a week but there remains the risk of the virus being picked up from opposition players during the provincial games. The Lions and England prop Mako Vunipola, however, says everything is being done to minimise the chances of infections taking hold. “I wouldn’t say we’re anxious about it,” said Vunipola, who will make his first tour start against the Sharks in Johannesburg on Wednesday. “For us as players it’s very simple. You have your set protocols you have to follow in the hotel and, as long as you do that, then you should be all right.” Vunipola also said the Lions assistant coach Gregor Townsend had stressed the possible consequences of breaching Covid regulations before the squad flew to South Africa. “We spoke about it before we played Japan. It’s obviously tough not to see your family or give your loved ones a hug or a kiss when you see them at the game. But Gregor made a good point that, after all the hard work we’ve put in over the last four years to make it into the squad, you don’t want to ruin that by 10 seconds of having a hug and getting Covid. “It’s not been easy but I’d rather be here than at home, to be honest. It’s one of those things that we understand, with the current climate and how the world is now. I feel for the guys on their first tours. They don’t get to enjoy as much as they should do, which is not great, but we’re very glad to be out here playing rugby and to have the privilege of representing the Lions.” Warren Gatland, meanwhile, has no plans to field his proposed starting Test XV before the best-of-three series against the Springboks starts on 24 July. In 2017, on the last Lions tour to New Zealand, 13 of the eventual Test team featured against the Crusaders a fortnight previously but Gatland said that “wasn’t intentional” and that he wanted to keep an open mind. “I want this group of men to feel everyone has an opportunity, right up until the Test matches,” said Gatland, having installed Ulster’s Iain Henderson as skipper for the tour’s first midweek fixture. “We won’t be showing our hand in terms of what we think the Test side will be. The message four years ago to the players who played on the Tuesday night before the first Test was that we hadn’t selected the Test team and there were still positions and spots up for grabs. A couple of players played well that night and were selected. “I think as players they want to hear that message. They want to hear that we haven’t made up our mind and that everyone has an opportunity. I think that’s really important for the whole squad. If you look at the back three and the loose forwards in particular, the amount of competition is huge. There’s going to be some long discussions and as we get a little bit closer we’ll start looking at potential combinations but you don’t want to show your hand too early.”