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Lions Tour

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No 7 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote No 7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Feb 2021 at 16:44
It is the best players from four powerful rugby union countries in their own right . It is highest accolade in rugby union. I cannot think of any other sporting team that comes near especially considering they only tour away on the oppositions patch.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote islander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Feb 2021 at 18:53
Originally posted by French Connection French Connection wrote:

Those of you who thin k that the Lions is all about money possibly haven't spoken to any player who has been on a Lions tour. I mean actually speak privately in person and not read what they say for the press. Virtually every single one will tell you that it was the highlight of their rugby lives bar nothing. There's no doubt that money is made, especially for the hosting unions, but for the players it's the apex of their ambition. The tradition is mighty, and the players are well aware of that.

I don't doubt that, long may it stay that way.

Not sure what this means in terms of what should happen regarding the Tour scheduled for this summer... ie which of the various options would suitably reflect how important the Lions is to players (as well as ticking the box marked money which I'm afraid is part-and-parcel of modern pro sport)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote French Connection Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Feb 2021 at 09:37
I don't think that there's much hope or possibility at all of the tour going ahead, and correctly so. A very small price to pay for getting the world out of the horrendous situation we're in.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dwinpenn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Feb 2021 at 20:00
Lions tours without tens of thousands of home nation supporters touring with them isn't a Lions tour nowadays. 
I fear that if the Lions go ahead by moving it to Australia then it will be the end of the Lions within a couple of tours. I struggle to understand how those who make the decisions seem blind to the power of the supporter in this discussion.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MikeGC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 2021 at 09:34
When people up the thread mentioned money, I strongly suspect that they didn’t have any players in mind.
However, the Home Unions "Blazerati" will have their snouts firmly in the trough. The players share hotel rooms, which are of a decent standard, likewise the coaches/physios, etc.
The "Blazerati" travel first class and stay 5 star alone or with Mrs Blazerati.

And, obviously, the monetary value to the hosting Union is vitally important.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 2021 at 13:36
The Aussie proposal is shear opportunism and I think we can thank the Blazerati of the Lions for quickly telling them where to go and to wait their turn. I still think we still have a chance by the fact SA opened up the pubs with falling numbers and vaccinations starting up. In spite of all the doommoungers, that slight glimmer of hope is still there. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Golden Jackal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 2021 at 14:03
Ref Australia hosting....restrictions on supporters travelling may well apply, but there are many thousands of ex pats that would happily fill the stadiums....even Perth!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sidelined Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 12:28
Just out if interest, why does the tour have to be against one of the three Southern Hemisphere sides?
Why not a 3 match series against, for sake of argument, France?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raider999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 12:37
Originally posted by sidelined sidelined wrote:

Just out if interest, why does the tour have to be against one of the three Southern Hemisphere sides?
Why not a 3 match series against, for sake of argument, France?


Presumably because when the Lions first formed France weren't any good. Why not Italy?

Also it would be a bit like a day trip unlike the tours of the Southern Hemisphere.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 14:18
Originally posted by sidelined sidelined wrote:

Just out if interest, why does the tour have to be against one of the three Southern Hemisphere sides?
Why not a 3 match series against, for sake of argument, France?

Oh no. You can't have the French. Wrong sort for a tour. The coming together of the British Isles is supposed to be a big event, you just cross the channel there's no spectacle and it's just dull playing a side you play over there every 2 years.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PiffPaff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 15:58
The Lions use to Tour Argentina back in the day, however I think the Argies are mirroring our CV-19 rates so hardly a respite option.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kingsheathlad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 17:37
Originally posted by sidelined sidelined wrote:

Just out if interest, why does the tour have to be against one of the three Southern Hemisphere sides?
Why not a 3 match series against, for sake of argument, France?

The BBC article today about the death of Dave Egerton said he played for British Lions in 1989 against France. I cannot recall any game between Lions and France.? 
Cauliflower ear.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PiffPaff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 18:42
He did as art of the celebrations for the Bicentennial of the French Revolution.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WEvans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 2021 at 15:32
Originally posted by PiffPaff PiffPaff wrote:

He did as art of the celebrations for the Bicentennial of the French Revolution.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote South of Tyne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 2021 at 15:49
Lions 27 - 29
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote islander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 2021 at 21:13
So we were told that a decision was imminent, but everything seems a bit fluid during Covid-19 which I guess isn't a surprise. (I was led to believe a decision on the Championship was imminent in October!)

Anyway, the Fun Bus has broken his silence in today's Torygraph...

Jason Leonard, chairman of the British and Irish Lions, says the board remains committed to staging a “traditional tour of South Africa” this summer but may have to wait up to two months to make a final decision on whether that is possible because of the pandemic restrictions.

The Lions board had been expected to make a final decision on the future of the tour by mid-February but Leonard said the board were determined to delay the decision as late as possible in order to get “the best possible solution” based on the latest information.

Contingency plans to stage the series in the UK and Ireland have also been progressing, while Australia have also offered to host the tour that is scheduled for July and August, while if the tour goes ahead to South Africa as scheduled the matches may have to be behind closed doors.

Leonard, capped five times for the Lions across three tours, 1993, 1997 and 2001, said the board were still progressing with their plans and were in constant dialogue with all their stakeholders.

“It is all fluid, there could be a decision in one next week, there could be one in four, six or eight weeks’ time,” said Leonard, speaking at the relaunch of the Front Row Club, a fundraising platform for his charity The Atlas Foundation.

“There is nothing on the table at this moment in time where we are saying ‘this is what we need to do’.

“We are still working with all involved to give ourselves the best option of hopefully trying to provide a traditional Lions tour – at least as much as a traditional Lions tour as we possibly can. Obviously it is not a traditional year so a traditional Lions tour could well be impossible to deliver."

As for whether he had a preference to whether the tour should go ahead if it meant playing matches behind closed doors, or switching the series to the UK and Ireland, Leonard added: “You can’t discuss an option in isolation because then that is a little bit misleading.

“I think from all concerned, until someone tells us, it is not on, you want to deliver a tour in South Africa this summer.

“That might be taken away from us. I don’t have a crystal ball. All the other options, which are great options, we have got to go through them. If that is not available, then what would the alternative be?

“We still don’t know the answer. Let’s just say, the borders are shut again? The players might not be able to get into the country. We can only work with where we are at this moment in time on the information that we have got.

“Everyone is working so hard from all parties to see what is there. At the end of the day we are all striving to see what would possibly be the best solution. We will do whatever it takes.”

Leonard is all too aware of what the tour means to South Africa, having set up his Atlas Foundation five years ago to help impoverished and deprived children around the world, including the townships in Cape Town.

“I had a great life travelling around the world with rugby and was lucky enough to go to some of the most beautiful places in the world, but even some of the most beautiful places around the world have slums - go to Cape Town or Buenos Aires - beautiful places, but go a couple of miles out of town and there are all the shanty towns and slums,” Leonard added.

“So I created Atlas to help deprived children in some of the poorest places in the world and use rugby’s values – respect, trust and team-work – to help kids improve their lives.

“Because 2020 was such a tough year for all charities we have looked at how we can raise funds for our fight against child poverty Front Row club is an online clubhouse for members and we have prize draws and competitions with rugby content, including rugby champions such as Maro Itoje, Maggie Alphonsi and John Smit who are all contributing to it.

“At this moment at time, these children need help more than ever. Over the last five years, we have provided things like coaches, pitches and doctors but it has now morphed into feeding programmes because people in the slums can’t go out and work because of the lockdown programme and how do they feed their families?

“So our coaches who normally coach in our projects have been providing food packages for kids and families in South Africa, Argentina and Kenya.”

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WEvans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2021 at 12:20
Originally posted by South of Tyne South of Tyne wrote:

Lions 27 - 29

No I meant the French Revolution Big smile

(Sorry!)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2021 at 12:50
Its too soon to say
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2021 at 21:29
No news is good news is my view.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote islander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2021 at 09:05
Lions' scoop from local paper in Jersey... also picked up by the Grauniad

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