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JOHANNESBURG. — There are fears over the health of several members of the 1981 South Africa rugby  team who attended a golf day with former team-mate Danie Gerber, mere days before the star centre tested positive for the coronavirus.

The 61-year-old Gerber tested positive for Covid-19 last Friday.

Afrikaans newspaper Rapport reported yesterday that members of the ‘81 Springboks squad who famously toured New Zealand, played golf with Gerber and stayed at the Border Hotel in Jan Kempdorp last Saturday.

The players included joint owner of the hotel Henning van Aswegen, Burger Geldenhuys, Divan Serfontein, Robbie Blair, Colin Beck, Richard Prentis and Gysie Pienaar.

Gerber said he started feeling ill last Thursday — four days after playing golf with his former team-mates.

He also confirmed that his 36-year-old daughter, Elanie, has also tested positive for the virus.

“My wife has now moved out of the house so myself and Elanie can self-isolate for two weeks,” Gerber said.

The report added that at least one of the former players who socialised with Gerber has started showing flu-like symptoms. Former Blue Bulls legend Burger Geldenhuys said he has already isolated himself from his family. He said he didn’t think he had Covid-19, but has been for a test. Gerber on Friday told the HeraldLIVE website that he was on roughly six flights over the last two weeks and that he had “no clue” where he could have picked up the virus.

“I was in pain and went to get it checked out. I then went to the drive-through test centre (in Port Elizabeth) on Thursday and they phoned me on Friday afternoon,” he said, adding that he was “shocked” to have his tests return positive.

Gerber said on Saturday that he did not have all the typical Covid-19 symptoms.

“I don’t have a cough and have no breathing problems. It’s just my body that is sore.” — AFP.