The Lions’ summer tour to South Africa is set to go ahead as originally scheduled.
Contingency plans, including staging the three-match Test series in the UK, were being considered due to ongoing uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
But following a succession of meetings, the Lions board has confirmed to SA Rugby its preference to stick with the initial plan of matches being hosted by South Africa during July and August.
South Africa 2021 here we come…. including three Tests against the #RWC2019 Champions @Springboks and what promises to be one magical Tour.#LionsSA2021 pic.twitter.com/HWY3jGYaQn
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) December 4, 2019
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Lions chairman Jason Leonard said in a statement: “After reviewing information relating to the various contingency scenarios being considered, I can confirm that the board’s intended position is for the tour to go ahead as scheduled in South Africa in 2021.
“We acknowledge that there is a significant amount of work still to be undertaken to deliver a robust Covid-19 countermeasure plan to ensure a successful, safe and uninterrupted tour.
“SA Rugby will have our full support to help implement this plan.”
The Lions, coached by Warren Gatland, are due to play Test matches in Johannesburg on July 24 and August 7, either side of a game in Cape Town on July 31.
Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney indicated earlier on Tuesday that the tour would be cancelled if South Africa were unable to host it.
Earlier this month, the Lions board had turned down an offer from Australia to stage the tour.
There is still uncertainty about whether crowds will be permitted to attend matches.
President of SA Rugby Mark Alexander said: “We appreciate the Lions’ faith and share their desire to see a safe and successful tour.
Respect 🤝#LionsRugby pic.twitter.com/LqN8oqV03M
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) March 15, 2021
“We have been in regular contact with our government to make that a reality against the backdrop of the pandemic and its predicted progression over the coming months.
“There are serious financial implications for SA Rugby should the event take place without any supporters in attendance, and we cannot ignore that in our considerations.
“But we are determined that the eventual outcome will deliver the best occasion and experience for players, supporters and our commercial partners.”
