Adding to the dramatic week of Lions news, there was an almost-spat between Rassie Erasmus and Warren Gatland.

Erasmus very innocently expressed his wish in front of the world's media that the Lions play South Africa A again on Saturday instead of the Stormers as scheduled.

Gatland very firmly and curtly shut the idea down.

You can read all about it here.

Image source, Getty Images

While the Lions are bouncing from the captain's return, the Springboks are without theirs.

Siya Kolisi's positive Covid-19 test was announced on Sunday in a further blow for a side that has now recorded over 20 cases.

We will see what sort of shape South Africa are in today. They have only had a few days of training because the entire squad had to spend six days isolating in their hotel rooms.

"Guys like Siya Kolisi, I doubt they are going to be ready for that first Test," said South African journalist Brenden Nel.

"They tested positive 14 or 15 days before the first Test. They have 10 days in isolation, then they have got to go through medical tests and even if they do they are not going to train a lot.

"That first Test you are going to see a very much patched-up team."

Image source, Getty Images

For those just joining us, Lions wing Josh Adams dropped out an hour before kick-off to join his partner Georgia on Zoom for the birth of their first child.

Ugo Monye
Former England winger on BBC Radio 5 Live's Rugby Union Weekly

Whatever team Warren Gatland had in his mind all gets trumped by how well some of these guys play against a fully loaded South African team.

There is so much to be taken by what we will see and some players can play their way into the Test team.

This is going to be the pivotal game. We always knew it was going to be big but there is talk of a fourth Test match and we are getting it.

This match is being played against a backdrop of political uncertainty in South Africa.

The provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng - where the Lions played before travelling to Cape Town - have seen widespread looting and violence following the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma.

Springbok director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said he hoped the rugby tonight could bring some joy to the nation.

"Although there are things going wrong the only thing we can do is try to put smiles on people's faces," he told Sky Sports.

"We know there are things that can happen that we can't change, but maybe this will put a smile on people's faces for 80 minutes."

Warren Gatland has had a lot to contend with this week and he has spoken to Sky Sports about his team.

On AWJ return: "Alun Wyn Jones will be back tomorrow and he will be in contention for the first Test. He won't be ready for Saturday's game.

"We will have a conversation with Alun Wyn when he gets out here. There's a big chance he will come in and be the tour captain again. We will talk to Conor Murray and AWJ and make the best decision for the team."

On Josh Adams: "Josh's partner Georgia is fully dilated and ready to push, family is important. He has been backwards and forwards all day. If she had the baby he probably would have played but this is important for him and his partner.

And on Dan Biggar: "He rolled his ankle slightly in the captain's run. If we pushed him we could've played him but it wasn't worth the risk."

The breaking news KEEPS COMING. The Lions media team must be exhausted.

Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher is flying out on Thursday too. He trained with the Lions squad when they were in Jersey and will be on the same plane as Alun Wyn Jones.

"I’m delighted to announce Ronan will join up with the squad," said Warren Gatland. "There’s no injuries to the three hookers out here, but we think it’s prudent to bring in cover in that position ahead of the Test series."

Image source, Getty Images

Former captain Sam Warburton is doing a Lions Legends series for 5 Live's Rugby Union Weekly during the tour.

This week, he's been chatting right hooks, beer cans and Elephant Man with Gavin Hastings. If you want to know how that heady combination came together, have a listen here.

And keep an ear out for an episode with Martin Johnson coming soon.

Image source, Getty Images and BBC Sport

Poor Marcus Smith only got to be the star call-up for a few days before his announcement was trumped by Jones' return.

Still, he is living the Lions dream at just 22 years old so we won't feel too sorry for him.

With Dan Biggar out of today's game with a "minor ankle strain" and Owen Farrell previously suffering an abdominal injury, could Smith make a sensational bid for a Test jersey?

The fly-half found out when he came off during England's win against Canada that he was being called in as cover for Finn Russell, who is nursing an Achilles injury.

"I thought I was being told off, had made a mistake or done something wrong," said Harlequins star Smith.

"But they shared the news I was flying out tomorrow which was special news to hear and I had to get my breath back because I was massively overwhelmed. I had no clue."

Image source, Inpho

Eighteen days ago, the headlines read that captain Alun Wyn Jones' tour was over.

The Lions veteran dislocated his shoulder in the warm-up game against Japan and all seemed lost, but we should have known it wasn't.

This afternoon the Lions announced that the impossible had happened.

AWJ is up and running one more and will be flying out to South Africa on Thursday. Perfect timing for the Tests.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Those Lions team changes aren't even the biggest breaking news story of the day.

Look who's back...

South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber is still isolating after a positive Covid-19 test so has handed over the reins to World Cup-winning boss Rassie Erasmus for this one.

The Springboks have named a Test-level side, including seven of those who started the 2019 World Cup final.

Full-back Willie le Roux, wing Cheslin Kolbe, centres Lukhanyo Am and Damian de Allende, scrum-half Faf de Klerk, lock Eben Etzebeth and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit are the star names in this supposed A team.

Captain Siya Kolisi is absent as one of the latest players to test positive for coronavirus.

South Africa A: Le Roux; Kolbe, Am (capt), De Allende, Nkosi; Steyn, De Klerk; Kitshoff, Dweba, Nyakane, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Du Toit, Wiese.

Replacements (to be cut to eight players before kick-off): Marx, Oosthuizen, Koch, Janse van Rensburg, Elstadt, H Jantjies, Kriel, Willemse, Smith, E Jantjies.

Image source, Getty Images

There are no dramatic late changes in a formidable South Africa A side.

Changes to the Lions XV were announced just an hour before kick-off.

Wing Josh Adams has better places to be than Cape Town Stadium: he'll be joining his partner on Zoom to witness the birth of his first child.

That means Anthony Watson will take his place and Liam Williams will step in at full-back.

Elsewhere, Owen Farrell starts at fly-half in place of Dan Biggar, who picked up a "minor ankle sprain" in training yesterday.

"We’ve always said family comes first, so naturally Josh drops out as planned to be with his partner," said Warren Gatland.

"We wish them both our very best wishes for an easy delivery."

British and Irish Lions: Williams; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Aki, Watson; Farrell, Murray (capt); W Jones, Owens, Sinckler, Itoje, Henderson, Navidi, Curry, Faletau.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Vunipola, Fagerson, Beard, Beirne, Simmonds, Davies, Daly.

Image source, Getty Images

It is hard to know where to begin in a week which has seen the epic return of a Lions legend, an unlikely call-up for a rookie fly-half, more Springbok Covid postives and a bit of scheduling mind games between coaches.

OH and there are late changes to the Lions team with a Zoom birth imminent. Might be best to start with that...

"The tour starts on Wednesday."

So said former Lion Ugo Monye. The excursion to South Africa started at a gentle simmer, but is about to boil over.

Welcome to live coverage of South Africa A v the British and Irish Lions (AKA the unofficial fourth Test).

Image source, Inpho