Luke Cowan-Dickie is at the bottom of a mound of men...did he get the grounding at the end of the driven maul?

Werner Kok pays the price with a yellow card and a sit-down. A 10-minute power play for the Lions...

Oh that is glorious!

Duhan van der Merwe, Josh Adams, Ali Price and Elliot Daly combine sublimely to break out from cow corner. A huge yardage gain.

Sharks wing Werner Kok comes steaming across to scrag Daly, but he is off his feet all over the ruck ball, getting right in Ali Price's way.

Image source, Getty Images

A big bit of video debrief bragging incoming for Tom Curry.

The England flanker gets elbow deep over a tackled man and secures the turnover in the shadow of his own posts.

That was a big tick for the England man in his first turn out in red.

The Lions have coughed up a series of penalties - four so far.

Sharks kick to the corner and claim cleanly at the line-out...

A decent half break from Sharks centre Marius Louw, before he is hauled down by Adam Beard.

And suddenly Werner Kok, who seems to have got newly-shorn Faf de Klerk's long locks, breaks free down the wing.

But his pass inside is fumbled forward by Manie Libbok. A better side would have made that break stick. Think it was Louis Rees-Zammit who missed his man.

A lot of claps and back slaps for the Lions as Iain Henderson makes a horrible mess of the Sharks line-out ball in a rare incursion into the tourists' half.

First scrum-time. Let's see how the red pack looks at the set-piece.

Sharks pinged as the front rows drop south.

Owen Farrell punts an early penalty into the corner to put the Sharks under some pressure and give Luke Cowan-Dickie a lineout sighter.

Cowan-Dickie finds his man...

We are up and running as the kick-off is safely gathered by the Lions.

Just before we kick off, can I just flag up the first episode of a brand new BBC Sport podcast which sees 2017 Lions captain Sam Warburton meeting some of the side's legends of the past.

First up on Sam's itinerary of greatness is the one and only Sir Gareth Edwards.

Tune in and sign up over here.

Conor cutting and pasting old-school style to keep up with the Lions' last-gasp changes.

Image source, Inpho

Newly-appointed tour captain Conor Murray is one of those players who has dropped out of the matchday 23 tonight.

If he isn't ready for the first Test for any reason, could we be looking at another man to lead the Lions into the first Springbok skirmish.

Image source, Getty

British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland speaking to Sky Sports: "Our mantra has always been chaos, adapt, change and we apply that tonight, We are really pumped up for it.

On having only one back on the bench: "I have spoken to Hamish Watson and Taulupe Faletau about just coming on. Finn is going to have to cover a few positions and some other guys will have to step up.

On the Aki-Daly centre partnership: "With the loss of Robbie Henshaw with a hamstring, we were really pleased with how Elliot played at the weekend, and we think they can give us some go-forward and some speed and footwork.

"That back row [Navidi, Curry, Simmonds] maybe doesn't have an out and out line-out expert but they more than make up for it with their mobility."

Image source, Getty

So let's have a little closer look at that rejigged Lions line-up...

Owen Farrell will have a classic one-two punch of a midfield to release with Bundee Aki punching holes and Elliot Daly dodging, weaving and carving at 13.

Is that preferable to the Russell-Farrell 10-12 partnership that started against the Sigma Lions?

And it is surely good news that back row of Josh Navidi, Tom Curry and Sam Simmonds survives the covid cull.

That's a trio that just sounds fun. And given this shortened schedule, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see them playing together.

British and Irish Lions:Adams, Rees-Zammit, Daly, Aki, Van der Merwe; Farrell, Price; Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Fagerson, Henderson (capt), Beard, Navidi, Curry, Simmonds.

Replacements:Owens, Sutherland, Furlong, Itoje, Conan, H Watson, Russell, Faletau

Image source, Getty Images

More from Lions managing director Ben Calveley on Sky Sports:

"The Test series is paramount. Our intention is to do everything we can to get those matches over the line here in South Africa.

"At the moment there is no intention to deviate from the schedule.

"There are people within the Lions bubble that haven’t been double jabbed but the very high majority have been double jabbed.

"We’re lucky. We have a fantastic group of players. We’re here to play rugby and we’re really pleased that we have a match on against the Sharks."

Image source, Getty Images

Despite the big boss' optimism, the prospects for the tour as a whole must be looking decidedly dicey.

In addition to the case among the Lions staff, things have escalated in the Springboks camp.

Their second Test against Georgia, scheduled for Friday, has been cancelled after 12 cases among the South Africa staff and players and another six in their opposition ranks.

The Lions weekend game against the Bulls has been postponed after four of the provincial side's players and a member of the backroom staff tested positive.

The first Test is just 17 days away. Can the organisers keep the show on the road?

Image source, Getty

British and Irish Lions managing director Ben Calveley on Sky Sports: "We had one positive Covid case this morning. That person had four close contacts: two of them were players two of them were management.

"We immediately isolated and tested everybody. Those tests came back negative apart from one. Out of caution we isolated all his close contacts.

"The medical advisory group say it [the game] can proceed.

"We see it as a positive. We are showing that we can overcome all the challenges that face us and we are determined that we can put a tour on."

Image source, Getty Images

A changed kick-off and a changed line-up for the tourists.

Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies, Tadhg Beirne, Conor Murray, Stuart Hogg and Chris Harris all come out of the matchday 23.

This is the revised line-up with Owen Farrell starting at 10 with Ali Price at scrum-half and wing Josh Adams stepping into full-back.

British and Irish Lions: Adams, Rees-Zammit, Daly, Aki, Van der Merwe; Farrell, Price; Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Fagerson, Henderson (capt), Beard, Navidi, Curry, Simmonds.

Replacements:Owens, Sutherland, Furlong, Itoje, Conan, H Watson, Russell, Faletau