LAST UPDATE | 14 May 2021
SOUTH AFRICA ARE planning for all matches of the British and Irish Lions tour to be played behind closed doors, but have not given up hope that some spectators will be present.
A revised schedule for the eight fixtures has been published, with the coronavirus pandemic forcing adjustments to be made to the original itinerary that reduce travel and create stable team bases.
All games will be staged in Gauteng or Cape Town and there is one change in opposition, with the Emirates Lions replacing the SA Invitational team in the tour opener on July 3.
And in a new development, SA Rugby has announced that the games, including the three-Test series against the Springboks, are being organised on the basis they will take place without fans present.
“We are hopeful that restrictions on attendance at sports events will be relaxed but, for the moment, we are planning for an event behind closed doors,” SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said.
“If that requirement changes, then we’ll assess the options available and make the necessary decisions based on the restrictions in place.”
Ticket holders for the original schedule will receive a full refund while South African residents who have tickets will be given first refusal on buying seats for the new itinerary, if restrictions on attendance are lifted.
It confirms that British and Irish Lions fans will not be able to travel to South Africa as part of any tour packages.
The pre-tour warm-up Test against Japan at Murrayfield on June 26 will proceed as scheduled, but a decision on the size of the crowd will be made closer to the time.
“We’re delighted to be able to finally confirm the revised schedule after months of scenario planning and shifting circumstances,” Roux said.
“It has been a challenging process with dozens of variables to consider but we believe we have arrived at a schedule that minimises the risks associated with the pandemic.
“This is not the Lions series we imagined when we started our planning more than two and a half years ago but, in the circumstances, I think it is an exciting prospect.
“After all the uncertainty it’s a relief to be able to put a stake in the ground and confirm what the series will look like. I’m sure most of us can’t now wait for kick off.
“The scenarios changed on a weekly basis, with options on three different continents workshopped and interrogated over the past few months to reach this point.
“Throughout we have had a single-minded goal to ensure the series went ahead. We’re now ready to deliver the series.”
Revised Lions schedule (all times Irish)
- Saturday 3 July: Emirates Lions v The British & Irish Lions (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg) KO 5pm
- Wednesday 7 July: Cell C Sharks v The British & Irish Lions (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg) KO 5pm
- Saturday 10 July: Vodacom Bulls v The British & Irish Lions (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria) KO 5pm
- Wednesday 14 July: South Africa ‘A’ v The British & Irish Lions (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town) 5pm
- Saturday 17 July: DHL Stormers v The British & Irish Lions (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town) KO 5pm
- Saturday 24 July: Springboks v The British & Irish Lions (1st Test, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town) 5pm
- Saturday 31 July: Springboks v The British & Irish Lions (2nd Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg) 5pm
- Saturday 7 Aug: Springboks v The British & Irish Lions (3rd Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg) 5pm
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Seriously underwhelming
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: Given the circumstances, what aspect do find underwhelming?
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: maybe you should change your name to #JUSTICE4GARRY
@HonDeDeise: Original response. It took you a while to reply with your last comment and it was ultimately very anticlimactic. A bit like the Waterford hurlers one might say
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: LOL. I can’t fault you there. But, now that you’ve popped up again; any thoughts on my first question? What’s you’re issue with today’s Lions Tour update? Or…maybe you don’t have one, and just wanted the first comment – safe in the knowledge that you’d get a couple of likes
@HonDeDeise: The Lions is made special by the atmosphere and the camaraderie associated with the series. Once you strip that away, the whole event becomes shallow. I understand that this logic applies to every sporting event during the age of Covid, but the Lions is particularly hindered by it. At least let some fans in there. Otherwise, I would have postponed the series until next year. The juice isnt worth the squeeze when the absence of spectators substantially detracts from the spectacle.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: I get your point, and was in favour of moving it to 2022 as well. At least they didn’t play it up here and in the UK. That would have been wrong. Australia another terrible option.
The whole thing is farcical. If it wasn’t for Sky sports and their massively over the top hype would people even care.
@Clark: yes. People who like Lions tour would care.
@Eugene Norman: I love the lions tour, but without fans, it’s gonna be just a game in an empty stadium with fake fan noise and that’s it really…..sky will do what they can to hype it
Sexton shouldn’t be too down he’s missing this lions tour, cos without fans, it’s gonna be a soulless tournament full of virtual events and virtual crowd noises and sky sports trying to drum up hype…..dunno why this couldn’t have been staged in Australia and least ud have fans and an atmosphere there at least
What channels will these be on?
@Brian Timmons: Sky Sports. The warm up game vs Japan will be on CH4 i believe.
@Brian Timmons: all on sky sports
Fans are a loss for any rugby competition. Having said that the European cup and even six nations can still be a good watch without fans but surely no fans defeats the purpose of a lions tour ?
The thing that makes tours interesting is that you’re going into the belly of the beast against often hostile and loud SH crowds and experiencing the culture of the country whilst touring. With no fans and the players in the bubble during the series it sounds pointless. It’s not the same as a standard home and away fixture tournament where you’re only there for a couple days to play the fixture…..
Stuff Sky Lions versus Emirates Lions and the rest of this sorry nonsense. If you can’t go and you have to give money to Murdoch to see on the box, then it’s no longer for me.
@Michael Killian: stream it….vipbox have all the games from sky, I’ll link it on a dud account when they’re live buddy
A Lions tour without fans, is like a pub without alcohol, don’t see the point at all. Look at all those amazing ‘Living with the Lions’ documentaries, and it’s hard to fathom a Lion’s tour without fans.
Well if you don’t make the test team thats a long haul from July 17th to Aug 7th to be holding tackle bags
Match V. Japan. Tradition says the Lions are an invitational TOURING team, and don’t play ‘home’ matches. What will the team V. Japan be called?
Scratch lions team against South Africa team with no games since wc final in 2019 with no fans in stadium. Its not a real tour.
Offer SA people the chance to go and support. If they can prove they are clean and had both jabs, then what’s the problem? Lots of ex pats our there. Would be enough for each Test.
Sky have got the money to achieve this.
Or build a big high perspex wall between the fans and the pitch at each stadium.
Maybe Sexton dodged this dead rubber after all….
@Mick O’Shea: can you imagine how hard it might be after a month in quarantine and you aren’t a sub for the test team even. These are the top athletes in their sport but also young enough men. From talking to people that have been on previous tours in a support role it gets hard (without being in quarantine) when you are not selected.
Once they play it #summerofsport