When do the Lions play against South Africa?
Sign up to our ROAR email for the latest news and analysis around this summer's SA tour Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice  The Lions are getting their 2021 tour underway against Japan this afternoon. After today's clash at Murrayfield, the Lions will jump on the plane and head to South Africa, where the tour will begin in earnest. They will have just a week's preparation on South African soil before they face their first warm-up match against the Emirates Lions. Tours these days are much shorter than they used to be, so there will be limited time to prepare for the defending world champions for Warren Gatland's side. There will be just five games before the series gets underway. The first Test will take place in Cape Town on July 24. Interestingly, there will be no midweek game, as there usually is, between the first and second Test. So the tour rolls right into the second encounter between the two sides on July 31, however this time it is being played in Johannesburg. Then the final Test match, which could be all important, takes place on August 7. Once again, it will be in Johannesburg. Kick off in all three Test matches is 5pm UK time.