50% Off! Beat the market in 2025 with InvestingProCLAIM SALE

Rugby-Revised schedule for Lions' South Africa tour as venues cut

Published 14/05/2021, 07:10 pm

CAPE TOWN, May 14 (Reuters) - The British and Irish Lions have scrapped plans to play matches all around South Africa and will instead utilise two bio-secure bubbles in Cape Town and Johannesburg, officials confirmed on Friday.

At this stage matches will be played behind closed doors, but South African Rugby officials are hopeful they will be able to persuade authorities to have limited fan attendance.

"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," SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux said in a statement.

"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."

The Lions start the tour against South Africa's Johannesburg-based provincial union of the same name at Ellis Park on July 3, before a clash with the Sharks at the famous venue four days later.

They then take on the Bulls in their nearby Pretoria home on July 10.

The tour will move to Cape Town and a meeting with South Africa ‘A' on July 14, followed by a fixture against the local Stormers three days later.

The first test will also be at the Cape Town Stadium on July 24, before the players move back to Gauteng for the second test a week later at the cavernous FNB Stadium.

The series will be completed with the third test at the same venue on Aug. 7.

The Lions will also face Japan in a ‘home' test at Murrayfield on June 26, with officials suggesting that a decision on the potential crowd size will be made nearer the time.

British & Irish Lions tour itinerary:

June 26 vs Japan at Murrayfield (Edinburgh)

July 3 vs Lions (South Africa) at Ellis Park (Johannesburg)

July 7 vs Sharks at Ellis Park (Johannesburg)

July 10 vs Bulls at Loftus Versfeld (Pretoria)

July 14 vs South Africa ‘A' at Cape Town Stadium

July 17 vs Stormers at Cape Town Stadium

July 24 vs South Africa at Cape Town Stadium (first test)

July 31 vs South Africa at FNB Stadium (Johannesburg, second test)

Aug 7 vs South Africa at FNB Stadium (Johannesburg, third test)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.