Lions squad receive Covid vaccinations 

Players got their jabs at administration day get-together in London

Lions squad receive Covid vaccinations 

Players in the British & Irish Lions 2021 squad have received their first Covid-19 vaccinations ahead of this summer’s tour to South Africa.

The Lions were given the green light by the Government to get vaccinated and players received their jabs at the first squad get-together in London today. The Telegraph report that they are likely to get their second dose of the vaccine during the training camp in Jersey in June.

All bar one of the 37 players selected for this year’s tour attended the Lions’ administration day at the Lensbury Hotel and have now been vaccinated. Scotland fly-half Finn Russell was absent due to his club commitments with Racing 92 but he has already received his first dose in France.

Lions squad receive Covid vaccinations

Lions lock Maro Itoje signs a shirt during the squad get-together (Inpho)

South Africa is currently on the UK’s ‘red list’, with fears of another wave of the pandemic as Covid cases in the country rise.

Meetings, photo shoots and shirt signings were also on the agenda as the Lions squad met up for the first time.

As the youngest member of the squad, Louis Rees-Zammit was given the responsibility of looking after the tour mascot, a cuddly lion called BIL.

The tour party will next assemble on 13 June in Jersey, although any players involved in the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals, Rainbow Cup final and Greene King IPA Championship play-off will not join up with the squad until their club commitments are completed.

The Lions play Japan in a pre-tour Test at BT Murrayfield on Saturday 26 June before departing for their eight-match tour of South Africa, which includes a three-Test series against the world champions.

Related: British & Irish Lions 2021 Fixtures

Those matches in July and August will all be played in either Gauteng or Cape Town to reduce travel and limit the risks associated with the Covid pandemic.

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