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Gatland gives his take on speculated 2021 Lions tour delay

By Chris Jones
(Photo by Michael Bradley/AFP via Getty Images)

Warren Gatland has admitted the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa next year could be rescheduled and delayed until later in 2021 as the sport grapples to recover from the Covid-19 lockdown. 

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The eight-match, three-Test tour to the home of the Springboks is currently scheduled to take place between July 3 and August 7 next year.  

However, with key meetings set to take place shortly to try and work out a global calendar that aligns the northern and southern hemisphere seasons, moving the Lions tour to October 2021 has become a real possibility despite the knock-on effects this would have for the tens of thousands of fans from the four home unions who have already been preparing for a July/August tour.

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RugbyPass rewatches the iconic 1997 Lions vs Springboks first Test in the company of Lawrence Dallaglio

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RugbyPass rewatches the iconic 1997 Lions vs Springboks first Test in the company of Lawrence Dallaglio

Jurie Roux, the SA Rugby CEO, confirmed last Monday that a move to host the tour later in the year was being considered. “The development of the pandemic and its varying impact around the world has made for a fluid situation and we have had to be responsive in our planning,” he explained.

“That means we have looked at a number of contingencies around scheduling. We have those scenarios in place, but the main question now is when it will be safe for international travel and for mass gatherings. 

“It would be a disappointment if a Lions series had to be played behind closed doors, but that is not a scenario for which we are currently planning.”

Now Lions coach Gatland, whose current Chiefs team opens its Super Rugby Aotearoa schedule away to the Highlanders on Saturday, has admitted that flexibility will be required regarding the 2021 schedule. 

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Speaking on BBC 5 Live Breakfast, Gatland said: “There is a Word Rugby meeting in a few days’ time and what we are hearing is that there are four or five potential scenarios where it could be a shift for the Six Nations and a shift for the summer tours to October and into November as well and changing the start dates of the season. 

“With us with the Lions, it’s just about being a little bit flexible and if we have to go back a month or so, then we can cope with that if it’s the best decision for World Rugby in terms of a global season.

“We have to be cooperative and smart about that. A lot of this has been talked about for a long time and if we can’t have a consensus now when we have basically got a blank piece of paper to start from then there is never going to be agreement.

“The unfortunate thing is we have a serious global crisis and sometimes that gives us an opportunity to put things right in certain areas where things can be better for the future. The possibility is the game can look at itself in terms of a global structure. If we don’t do it know we are never going to do it.”

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A
Adrian 10 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
T
Trevor 2 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.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 6 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.

29 Go to comments
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