British and Irish Lions release official statement as 2021 tour hangs in the stability
The destiny of the British and Irish Lions’ tour to South Africa will be decided in the following couple months.
With the coronavirus circumstance in equally the United kingdom and South Africa wanting bleak, the 2021 journey is hanging in the balance amid phone calls for it to be postponed.
A new strain of Covid-19 has been identified in the two components of the planet and, except the problem increases with haste, the tour is not likely to go ahead as scheduled.
The prospect of enjoying matches with no followers is not 1 that organisers will entertain, with 30,000 supporters expected to make the journey from these shores to the residence of the globe champions.
Meetings will consider place through January to figure out no matter whether or not the tour can consider put in July and August this year.
“As you would anticipate, we are progressing with our strategies dependent on the newest information and facts out there to us,” claimed Ben Calveley, The British and Irish Lions Running Director.
“However, provided the uncertainty that proceeds to be induced by the coronavirus pandemic both of those in South Africa, as effectively as the British isles and Ireland, we are extremely knowledgeable of the have to have to make a timely determination on the most effective way forward not the very least so that we can provide clarity to supporters booked to vacation to South Africa subsequent summertime, or all those contemplating of making the trip.
“To date, the Lions Board has had recurring meetings to examine all eventualities accessible and is in continuous dialogue. It will meet up with all through January and into February, if necessary, to overview all suitable facts and information. Right after further more session with SA Rugby, we will update on the result of these meetings in thanks class.
“In the meantime, we continue on typical dialogue with our associates in the Uk, Eire and South Africa, such as the British Significant Fee in Pretoria, the Irish Embassy and several federal government departments, to ascertain as considerably information as achievable on this fast-evolving, sophisticated scenario.”
A person option would be to postpone the tour by one calendar year but that is fraught with logistical troubles.
Household nations all have excursions of their possess scheduled for the summer of 2022 and the prospect of cramming more matches into that hectic plan a calendar year out from the 2023 Globe Cup is unpalatable.
It would also build concerns for head coach Warren Gatland, who has been on a sabbatical from his day work in demand of the Chiefs to conduct his duties as Lions manager.