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Test match against Japan will see Lions play in Scotland for the first time
The British and Irish Lions will play Japan at Murrayfield next summer in a curtain-raiser Test match for their 2021 South Africa tour. The Lions have confirmed June 26 – the same day as next season’s Gallagher Premiership final – for a first meeting in their long and illustrious history against Japan.
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The Edinburgh encounter is a week before the Lions’ tour opener in Cape Town, and it will be their first Test appearance on British or Irish soil since drawing 25-25 with Argentina in Cardiff 15 years ago. The Lions have never previously played in Scotland.
“One of our objectives is to give Warren (Gatland, Lions head coach) and the playing squad as much meaningful preparation as possible before departing on tour, so we are delighted to have agreed this fixture,” Lions managing director Ben Calveley said.
“A Lions Test is one of the most iconic events in world sport, but a huge number of fans from the Home Nations never get the chance to see one live. The Lions 1888 Cup match will give even more supporters the opportunity to be part of the next chapter in Lions history.”
World Cup host nation Japan reached the tournament’s quarter-finals last year, beating Ireland, Scotland, Samoa and Russia in the pool stage before bowing out to eventual winners South Africa.
? BREAKING NEWS ?
We will play @JRFURugby at @Scotlandteam's BT Murrayfield on 26 June.
This is not a drill people, the Lions are playing at home.#LionsRugby #ManeEvent #HomeTogether #RoarUsOut pic.twitter.com/yEQsM7EZX9
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) October 21, 2020
Gatland added: “We saw Japan play some excellent rugby during the World Cup, and they will come to Edinburgh fully motivated to win. They are a talented side who play high-tempo rugby, so it will be a good challenge for us ahead of the tour and a chance for the match-day squad to put their hands up for Test selection.”
Japan head coach Jamie Joseph, meanwhile, described the Lions fixture as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for his players. “We are very much looking forward to playing a Test against the Lions next year,” he said. “It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our players, and we can’t wait for it to come.”
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The Lions’ eight-match South Africa trip begins on July 3 and is highlighted by three Tests against the Springboks. The 2021 Premiership final means that Gatland is unlikely to have a full squad to choose from for the Japan fixture, although any absentees should be minimal.
Tickets for the Japan game go on pre-sale early next month, but it remains to be seen if the coronavirus pandemic has any impact on it. International rugby in Britain and Ireland is currently scheduled behind closed doors.
Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson said: “The deep connection Scotland enjoys with the British and Irish Lions has helped to shape the rich history of the team with players, coaches and support staff all contributing to the success of the side down the years.
“Scottish Rugby and the whole rugby community in Scotland will extend a warm welcome to the Lions and Japan, and we look forward to hosting fans for this unique ‘home game’ at what will no doubt be an enthralling match.”
- Be part of the 2021 Lions Tour of South Africa which is nearly sold out, book your ticket-inclusive packages before it’s too late with the comfort of our Covid guarantee and be part of the ultimate rugby experience. See our affordable packages here.
The most heartwarming picture of last weekend explained ?? https://t.co/36pvvbqxYQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2020
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Comments on RugbyPass
late hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to comments