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British and Irish Lions weighing up three potential opponents for warm-up fixture

By Tom Vinicombe
Mike Phillips (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Coach Warren Gatland has revealed the British and Irish Lions are weighing up three potential opponents for a warm-up game before 2021’s tour to South Africa.

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Gatland is currently in his first season of a four-year stint with Super Rugby’s Chiefs but he will take time off in 2021 to lead the Lions on an historic third tour.

Following the Chiefs’ win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday, Gatland told Kyodo News that the Lions were weighing up their options for warm-up opposition and considering the likes of the Barbarians, the Maori All Blacks and the Japan national side.

“The Lions are planning a warm-up game somewhere in the UK in either London, Wales or Edinburgh,” Gatland revealed.

“There are two or three parties we are talking to, the Barbarians, New Zealand Maori and Japan. So yes, Japan is potentially an option.”

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Japan took the world by storm when they bested both Ireland and Scotland at the 2019 World Cup and progressed through to the quarter-finals. Their feats at the global tournament have seen national unions clamouring to line up a match with rugby’s new darlings.

In 2020, Japan have Test matches scheduled against Wales, England (twice), New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland and the Barbarians.

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In contrast, the Brave Blossoms played just four Tests against tier-one opposition in 2016, the year after the last World Cup.

The Barbarians and the Maori All Blacks both have rich histories with the Lions.

The Maori All Blacks last played the Lions when the composite side travelled to New Zealand in 2017 with the visitors comfortably dispatching the locals, 32-10.

12 years earlier, the New Zealand Maori recorded an historic 19-13 victory over the Lions.

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The two sides have met nine times in total.

The Barbarians, meanwhile, have regularly featured in the Lions’ tours as warm-up opposition, with their last match coming in 2013 before the Lions travelled to Australia.

The likes of Nick Evans, Joe Rokocoko, Schalk Brits, Sergio Parisse and Jim Hamilton all featured for the Barbarians in a 59-8 thrashing.

WATCH: RugbyPass went behind the scenes with one of the most iconic rugby clubs in the world as they prepared for a clash with Wales at the Principality stadium.

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Trevor 1 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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