Should the Lions tour different countries?
The British & Irish Lions 2021 tour to South Africa is approaching its midpoint, but theres always time to cast one eye to the future. In the new issue of Rugby World magazine, we look at the legacy of the Lions and whether it can continue for another 100 years. Preparation time and player release are among the issues the modern Lions face, while another topic that comes up when looking at the future of the tourists is whether different countries should be on the schedule. Up until the late Eighties, the tourists main destinations were New Zealand and South Africa, with fixtures in Australia often serving as warm-ups en route to New Zealand. There have also been a couple of unofficial tours to Argentina as well as one-off fixtures against the likes of Fiji, Canada and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Since 1989, however, the Lions have rotated between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa so each of the southern hemisphere big three get a visit from the best of Britain and Ireland once every 12 years. MORE ON THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS