Lions 2021 to be played in the UK?

[Chrysoprase]

Smacks of desperation to be honest

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55538729

The British and Irish Lions series with South Africa could be held in the UK if Covid-19 prevents fans from travelling.

Reversing the venue is among the contingency plans discussed by the Lions board in the event that the trip has to be abandoned.

Instead, tour games would be played in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff and Dublin.

The South African rugby union has previously made it clear that a tour without visiting fans would not be commercially viable for them.

The Lions board is also thought to be unenthusiastic about the Idea.

However, it is hoped that a vaccine would allow for fans to attend games in the UK by summer.

In a statement on Saturday the Lions board announced that they'd been having "repeated meetings to discuss all scenarios available and is in constant dialogue".

A warm-up contest with Japan is already scheduled for Murrayfield in Edinburgh on 26 June.

After that, the original plan is for the Lions to travel to South Africa to play five provincial games before the three-Test series against the world champions.

The revised plan would likely see the Test matches held at Cardiff's Principality Stadium and Wembley and Twickenham in London.

Government restrictions currently forbid fans from attending, but even if restrictions are lifted, the Lions board is worried that such a large movement of people could put any Covid-19 recovery in jeopardy.

It had been mooted that the tour might be delayed until 2022, but all four nations have Test matches scheduled for that summer window and are not keen on that switch.

Lions managing director Ben Calveley said: "It will meet throughout January and into February, if required, to review all relevant information and data.

"After further consultation with SA Rugby, we will update on the outcome of these meetings in due course."

[tcc_dc]

No...wait a year...

[SaintK]

Smacks of desperation to be honest

Absolutely! Far too many other stakeholders to bring onside to get that over the line

[Paddington Bear]

Can see the logic

[Chrysoprase]

Just bow to the inevitable and cancel the tour now. The next time it'll be viable will be 2024 (matches already scheduled for 2022, RWC in 2023) and the next tour in the cycle would be in 2025 anyway.

It'll save us the usual angst up here when Gatland doesn't pick any Scots, so that's a positive....

[clydecloggie]

Just bow to the inevitable and cancel the tour now. The next time it'll be viable will be 2024 (matches already scheduled for 2022, RWC in 2023) and the next tour in the cycle would be in 2025 anyway.

It'll save us the usual angst up here when Gatland doesn't pick any Scots, so that's a positive....

They're already touting Twickenham, the Principality and Aviva as the Test venues so on top of Scottish non-selection we can add a stadium snub to the list (because of course the home soil Test against Japan at Murrayfield will be cancelled - this will need maximum salt).

[Chrysoprase]

Spoiler

Show

Just bow to the inevitable and cancel the tour now. The next time it'll be viable will be 2024 (matches already scheduled for 2022, RWC in 2023) and the next tour in the cycle would be in 2025 anyway.

It'll save us the usual angst up here when Gatland doesn't pick any Scots, so that's a positive....

They're already touting Twickenham, the Principality and Aviva as the Test venues so on top of Scottish non-selection we can add a stadium snub to the list (because of course the home soil Test against Japan at Murrayfield will be cancelled - this will need maximum salt).

Are you sure Murrayfield would be available for the tests?

[OomStruisbaai]

Springboks playing the Lions up north is a fantastic idea.

[Sandstorm]

Postpone from Sept 21 to Jan 22 in SA. Cancel the 2nd half of 6N.

We’re playing rugby in SA now and no-one has died of heat stroke yet.

[SaintK]

Postpone from Sept 21 to Jan 22 in SA. Cancel the 2nd half of 6N.

We’re playing rugby in SA now and no-one has died of heat stroke yet.

Too many vested interests for that to happen

[Jb1981]

Would one warm up test against Japan be sufficient build up without the provincial games? Yes, the Lions could be in a long pre-series camp but that’s not the same as playing.

[Saint]

Would one warm up test against Japan be sufficient build up without the provincial games? Yes, the Lions could be in a long pre-series camp but that’s not the same as playing.

Have the Lions and Springboks play Premiership and Welsh and Scots Pro14 teams

17 clubmatches I total between the two teams plus 3 test mathes. All the tour Matthew will be sellouts, brings revenue in for clubs, and good warmup/midweek

[Sandstorm]

Springboks playing the Lions up north is a fantastic idea.

I can’t see the Kiwis liking that one.

[Jb1981]

Springboks playing the Lions up north is a fantastic idea.

I can’t see the Kiwis liking that one.

As long as both sides have had 500 minutes (for “safety”) we wouldn’t mind. Personally, I would love to see the series played somehow.

It would be a blow to South Africa though, wouldn’t it? It would be great to have the series played and revenue sharing could be organised, assuming games can be played in front of fans, but you would lose the financial boost of travelling fans to South Africa. Or, at this stage are most writing that off as a possibility?

[Sandstorm]

No-one in SA thinks the tour will happen. Very few think it is even a good idea in 2021.

And a Lions tour in empty stadiums would be a tragedy.

[Ted.]

Will common sense prevail?

[Sandstorm]

Will common sense prevail?

Over money? Doubtful.

[Not_Couch]

Is it even a lions tour with no crowds???

[Woddy]

Just had fun picking my current starting XV based on the squad that the BBC had pulled together. Settled on the below, what do you think?

Mako
George
Z Fagerson
Itoje
J Gray
Underhill
Curry
Faletau
G Davies
Russell
May
Ringrose
Slade (or Jiffy Jnr)
Watson (would be happy with Adams)
L Williams

Only slight problem is kicking as I refuse to pick Farrell given he's not the best at anything other than being encouraging (which he can do from the crowd), which edged it for Slade over Jonathan Davies.

[Slick]

Is it even a lions tour with no crowds???

I’ve seen lots of commentators banging on about Lions tours and the traditional hoards that follow them. That’s only been happening since 97

[Not_Couch]

Is it even a lions tour with no crowds???

I’ve seen lots of commentators banging on about Lions tours and the traditional hoards that follow them. That’s only been happening since 97

So? Rugby had only been professional since 95. What's your point? It's a different game, get with the times.

[Ata Rangi]

Is it even a lions tour with no crowds???

I’ve seen lots of commentators banging on about Lions tours and the traditional hoards that follow them. That’s only been happening since 97

I remember very large numbers in Wellington in 93 in great voice, but that may have just been three Welshmen delighted that they won.

[Slick]

Is it even a lions tour with no crowds???

I’ve seen lots of commentators banging on about Lions tours and the traditional hoards that follow them. That’s only been happening since 97

I remember very large numbers in Wellington in 93 in great voice, but that may have just been three Welshmen delighted that they won.

I reckon there were 2-3,000 at the 2nd test and 4-5 at the 3rd. It might have seemed more because the Kiwis sat in silence

[Slick]

Is it even a lions tour with no crowds???

I’ve seen lots of commentators banging on about Lions tours and the traditional hoards that follow them. That’s only been happening since 97

So? Rugby had only been professional since 95. What's your point? It's a different game, get with the times.

And Lions tours have been going since 1888.

[Paddington Bear]

I'm assuming the real factor behind 'no crowd no tour' is that this is the big money spinner for the Southern Unions, rather than any bowing to 'tradition'.

[Slick]

I'm assuming the real factor behind 'no crowd no tour' is that this is the big money spinner for the Southern Unions, rather than any bowing to 'tradition'.

Yeah, that's my point really, but badly made. In the pro era the away support is incredibly important for the SH Unions but reading papers over the weekend it was all about how it's not a Lions tour without the mass of touring support, which is bollocks as it's only been that way in recent history. Are they saying that the late 60's and 70's tours were not great because a handful of "away" supporters turned up?

[OomStruisbaai]

No-one in SA thinks the tour will happen. Very few think it is even a good idea in 2021.

And a Lions tour in empty stadiums would be a tragedy.

This, with our current Corvid-19 tragedy there is no way that it will happen.

Playing the series up north makes much more sense.

[Not_Couch]

I’ve seen lots of commentators banging on about Lions tours and the traditional hoards that follow them. That’s only been happening since 97

So? Rugby had only been professional since 95. What's your point? It's a different game, get with the times.

And Lions tours have been going since 1888.

It wasn't even Rugby as we know it FFS

GET WITH THE TIMES!

[Lemoentjie]

It makes sense from a rugby perspective, but from a perspective of the SARU surviving financially, it's a disaster.

Unless the UK unions agree to give SARU a large slice of the profit.

[assfly]

It makes sense from a rugby perspective, but from a perspective of the SARU surviving financially, it's a disaster.

Unless the UK unions agree to give SARU a large slice of the profit.

This would have to be the case.

And knowing what prices the tickets would go for, it may even be more profitable this way.

But the South African tourism industry would take a serious hit.

[Paddington Bear]

It makes sense from a rugby perspective, but from a perspective of the SARU surviving financially, it's a disaster.

Unless the UK unions agree to give SARU a large slice of the profit.

This would have to be the case.

And knowing what prices the tickets would go for, it may even be more profitable this way.

But the South African tourism industry would take a serious hit.

I'm curious what prices they could charge - I reckon a lot of regular rugby goers will still be a little cautious about crowded spaces in the summer

[clydecloggie]

It makes sense from a rugby perspective, but from a perspective of the SARU surviving financially, it's a disaster.

Unless the UK unions agree to give SARU a large slice of the profit.

This would have to be the case.

And knowing what prices the tickets would go for, it may even be more profitable this way.

But the South African tourism industry would take a serious hit.

How many Lions fans normally travel and what would that be as a proportion of tourists in those areas? Even if you have 40,000 Lions tourists that would only be a fraction of what Cape Town etc. normally get, no?

[assfly]

I'm curious what prices they could charge - I reckon a lot of regular rugby goers will still be a little cautious about crowded spaces in the summer

A lot more than local SA fans are paying, especially at 20:1

Besides, you guys are likely to have so many people vaccinated by then. If SA had it's act together on the vaccine, we probably wouldn't even be having this conversation.

[Sandstorm]

I'm curious what prices they could charge - I reckon a lot of regular rugby goers will still be a little cautious about crowded spaces in the summer

I'd go to Millenium Stadium by car (not train), want the roof open and everyone to wear a mask. I doubt I'd hit any pubs in the High Street afterwards either. But then I've been super-cautious since last March anyway....

Oh, and paying £100-£150 for a ticket is a fraction of what a Lions Tour would cost me. I could go to SA another time anyway for less too.

[Chrysoprase]

Besides, you guys are likely to have so many people vaccinated by then. If SA had it's act together on the vaccine, we probably wouldn't even be having this conversation.

Yeah but that's our fault for buying up all the vaccine and not letting you have any, apparently.

It's all part of one big conspiracy to win the tour for the Lions

[assfly]

Yeah but that's our fault for buying up all the vaccine and not letting you have any, apparently.

It's all part of one big conspiracy to win the tour for the Lions

[Paddington Bear]

I'm curious what prices they could charge - I reckon a lot of regular rugby goers will still be a little cautious about crowded spaces in the summer

I'd go to Millenium Stadium by car (not train), want the roof open and everyone to wear a mask. I doubt I'd hit any pubs in the High Street afterwards either. But then I've been super-cautious since last March anyway....

Oh, and paying £100-£150 for a ticket is a fraction of what a Lions Tour would cost me. I could go to SA another time anyway for less too.

But here's the thing - I'm sure I'm not alone that driving 200 miles, not having a drink and wearing a mask kind of defeats the purpose of live sport.

[Chrysoprase]

Yeah but that's our fault for buying up all the vaccine and not letting you have any, apparently.

It's all part of one big conspiracy to win the tour for the Lions

Sorry, perhaps you haven't seen some of the more "out there" statements that have been made on the Rich countries are hoarding vaccines thread

[assfly]

Sorry, perhaps you haven't seen some of the more "out there" statements that have been made on the Rich countries are hoarding vaccines thread

Ah yes, I see what you mean. I'm not from that school of thought at all. Some Saffers live in the third world with first world expectations. We're at the back of the queue like the rest of the continent.

Perhaps the travel agents in the UK can include a vaccination as part of the tour package?

[Chrysoprase]

Perhaps the travel agents in the UK can include a vaccination as part of the tour package?

Interesting idea! Maybe a condition of entry into SA for each tourist would be the provision of vaccine for 10 people in SA

Nonsense aside though, although I said earlier in the thread that I think the pragmatic approach would be to cancel the tour and try again in 2025, I do think it would be a crying shame if the tour doesn't go ahead. Not just from the rugby perspective but also because I've been lucky enough to spend a lot of time in SA and I know what an amazing place it is to visit. A lot of people will miss out on that opportunity and like you say, the tourism industry there will take a big hit if this is called off.