SA Rugby has asked government’s national Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee to consider filling stadiums with up to at least 10, 000 fans per game for the Boks’ Tests starting next month. 

The Springboks are set to face Georgia twice before the British & Irish Lions’ eight-match tour – which includes three Test matches against South Africa – kicks off.

Initially SA Rugby and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture asked the national Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee to consider filling stadiums up to at least 50% capacity during the 2021 British & Irish Lions series.

But following president Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that the country has officially entered into a third wave of Covid-19, and his subsequent imposing of stricter Level 3 lockdown regulations, the slender chance of having any fan attendance took another blow.

According to a report of City Press, however, SA Rugby has now adjusted its fan attendance request accordingly, asking governing permission to allow at least 10,000 fans into stadiums per game, as opposed to the initial request which asked to fill stadiums up to 50% capacity.

“With the way the levels work, we have to see out this month because things change on a daily basis,” said an official familiar with the discussions. “We can’t say this is the death knell – they will continue fighting tooth and nail until the end.

“There would be no queuing at the stadium … they’re not talking about being irresponsible, they’re talking about a controlled environment.

“I think sanity will prevail. It has to prevail.”

Part of the plan may require fans to return a negative Covid test before being granted access.

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