Lions board RULE OUT tour to Australia following offer

British and Irish Lions board RULE OUT tour to Australia while delaying final call on summer series against the Springboks… with UK Government yet to confirm it will underwrite fixtures

  • The Lions board have confirmed a tour to Australia will not be happening 
  • Australia made an offer but it cannot meet minimum financial requirements 
  • A a UK-based ‘tour’ presents the most lucrative option but hangs in the balance 
  • Traditionalists have called for the tour to be postponed until 2022 

The Lions board have delayed their final decision on this summer’s series against the Springboks — although they have ruled out a tour to Australia.

Rugby’s powerbrokers hoped to conclude talks in Friday’s meeting but are still waiting to hear if the Government will underwrite fixtures in the UK and Ireland.

It is understood the UK Government are reluctant to underwrite a home ‘tour’, having shown no indication they would grant rugby any help in this week’s Budget.

The saga will now rumble on into next week, with the board desperate to salvage rugby’s showpiece event.

The British and Irish Lions board have confirmed a tour of Australia will not be happening

While a UK-based ‘tour’ presents the most lucrative option, they cannot afford to commit without an insurance package, which would cover the risk of lost revenue due to further crowd restrictions.

Australia had intervened with an offer to host the series, but that option was ruled out on Friday because they cannot meet the minimum financial requirements.

Traditionalists have called for the tour to be postponed until 2022 when travelling fans should be allowed to return. However key figures such as England head coach Eddie Jones and his Ireland counterpart Andy Farrell will push back on any proposal that interferes with their preparations for the 2023 World Cup.

Sitting on the board is Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, along with his Wales, Scotland and Ireland contemporaries — Steve Phillips, Mark Dodson and Philip Browne.

Traditionalists have called for the tour to be postponed until 2022 when travelling fans should be allowed to return 

Former Lions players Jason Leonard, Gavin Hastings, Tom Grace and Ieuan Evans also feature on the panel.

With the option of postponement until 2022 looking difficult to accommodate, the remaining alternatives are to play the games in empty stadiums in South Africa or cancel the series altogether.

World Rugby are monitoring the ongoing situation, with a view to informally intervening if they consider there to be a need for arbitration.

Meanwhile, France have been given the green light to play their Six Nations match against Scotland after their government cleared them of wrongdoing in a review into how Covid ripped through their camp.

The French had 11 players test positive in the build-up to the Scotland game, plus several more staff including coach Fabien Galthie.

There were reports that multiple players and staff breached their bubble to go on a group outing to eat waffles when staying in Rome. Galthie also left camp to watch his son play.

Meanwhile, France have been given the green light to play their Six Nations match against Scotland after their government cleared them of wrongdoing after a Covid outbreak in camp

While the investigation into their conduct said no rules were broken, French rugby boss Bernard Laporte met Sport Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer to agree new, strict Covid protocols for the rest of the tournament.

‘When they go out with a mask on, to me, there was no wrongdoing. But from now on, it’s forbidden,’ Laporte said. ‘Now, you can’t leave the hotel.’

The French will likely conclude their Six Nations on Friday, March 26 against Scotland — the week after the main tournament concludes — if all stakeholders can agree to play the game on that date.

Les Bleus play England next weekend, who could welcome back flanker Sam Underhill. The openside is starting for Bath today having overcome a hip injury.

Though Wasps’ Jack Willis has revealed he could be out for up to a year after suffering a horrendous knee injury against Italy.

The 24-year-old back-row said: ‘I’ve torn my medial cruciate ligament off the bone at the bottom, torn a bit off the top as well.

‘I am going to need that fully repaired, I’ve torn both meniscus. I am pretty gutted, I could be out for up to a year.’

Exeter’s Jack Nowell is also due to spend more time on the sidelines, having suffered a fresh hamstring tear on his comeback from a toe problem.




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