The SA U18s were due to depart to Europe on Saturday for a tour of four matches next month, but following discussions between SA Rugby and the GRU, with inputs from the Georgian government, it was decided to call off the tour.

“We’ve just gone through a very tough third wave and we’re still not out of the woods here in South Africa, and numbers are also rising in Georgia, which is why the mutual decision was made to cancel the tour,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

“It’s never easy to make such decisions, but the health of our players remains our first priority. We would like to thank our friends in Georgia for being proactive in this matter, and for their assistance and understanding.”