Share

Brumbies mystery illness confirmed as mumps

Sydney - The mystery illness which forced late changes to the Brumbies' line-up against the Highlanders last weekend was confirmed on Wednesday as mumps.

Register your interest for the British & Irish Lions tickets in South Africa 2021

Several players and staff from the Canberra-based Super Rugby team have been stricken with the illness, ruling them out for the trip to Hamilton ahead of the Chiefs clash (Saturday, February 22 at 08:05 SA time), according to Rugby Australia.

Darcy Swain and Irae Simone were swapped out of the squad on game day last Saturday due to an illness.

Further tests revealed that the virus had infected some staff and players.

"Any sort of virus you've got to be really careful in our environment because you spend so much time together," Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said after the match on Saturday.

Local health bodies and Super Rugby's governing body had been called into manage the outbreak, with only healthy players receiving the all clear to travel.

Rugby Australia said all teams in the competition had been contacted and no further cases have been detected.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1471 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE