2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa

The 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa is an international rugby union tour that is scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2021.[1][2]

2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
Date3 July – 7 August
Coach(es) Warren Gatland
Australia 2025 →

The British and Irish Lions are scheduled to play a three-match test series against South Africa. Unlike previous series, where the Lions played seven additional games against local teams, in 2021 there will only be five additional games, making a total of eight.[3][4]

Possible candidates to coach the 2021 Lions included Warren Gatland, Eddie Jones, Gregor Townsend, Joe Schmidt, Dai Young and Mark McCall.[5] Subsequently, in May 2019, Warren Gatland agreed to take charge of the team for the third successive time, with both parties agreeing to the deal.[6][7] Gatland was officially unveiled as the 2021 coach on 12 June 2019.[8]

Due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports started emerging in early 2021 that the tour could be held in the British Isles instead of South Africa, postponed to 2022 or cancelled altogether.[9]

With the Lions traditionally being a touring side only, many fans opposed the move with thousands signing a petition to put pressure on the Lions board to keep the tour in South Africa and postpone till 2022. 1997 Lions tourist, Tim Stimpson put his backing behind the campaign.[10]

In January 2021, Rugby Australia offered to host the tournament in Australia if it could not be held in South Africa.[11]

Matches

The eight-match schedule was announced on 4 December 2019. A warm-up against Japan was announced on 30 May 2020.

Date Home team Score Away team Venue Details
26 June British and Irish Lions v  Japan Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
3 July Stormers v British and Irish Lions Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
7 July South Africa Invitational v British and Irish Lions Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
10 July Sharks v British and Irish Lions Kings Park Stadium, Durban
14 July South Africa 'A' v British and Irish Lions Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
17 July Bulls v British and Irish Lions Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
24 July  South Africa v British and Irish Lions FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
31 July  South Africa v British and Irish Lions Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
7 August  South Africa v British and Irish Lions Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

See also

References
  1. "Lions Tour – South Africa 2021 – British & Irish Lions". The British and Irish Lions.
  2. "Lions 2021: A 41-man squad to tour South Africa in four years' time". The Daily Telegraph. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  3. Rees, Paul (25 September 2017). "British & Irish Lions to reduce fixtures for 2021 South Africa tour". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  4. Rees, Paul (25 September 2017). "Lions to play fewer matches in 2021 South Africa tour". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  5. "Six contenders to coach the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa". Sky Sports. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  6. "Warren Gatland agrees deal to coach British and Irish Lions for 2021 South Africa tour". BBC Sport. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  7. Rees, Paul (10 May 2019). "Warren Gatland to take charge of Lions for 2021 South Africa tour". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  8. "Gatland 'honoured' after becoming only second man to lead Lions for third time". The Guardian. 12 June 2019.
  9. "British & Irish Lions have a 'lucrative' idea to save 2021 tour". Ruck. 3 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  10. "British and Irish Lions tour 'must remain in South Africa' - 1997 tourist Tim Stimpson backs calls to postpone until 2022". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  11. "Rugby Australia offers to host Lions tour". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
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