Proposed amendments to future lions touring schedules.

First topic message reminder :

With the announcement that AUS will withhold their top 25 players for the duration of the dirt-tracker matches of the upcoming Lions series its clear the age of competitiveness at that level is at an end.
The last tour saw the dirt-trackers undefeated, with even the toughest challenges a one sided affair and this tour will be no different. Only the NZ Maori will ever provide a game where victory is uncertain.

The ARU made it clear that whilst they are withholding these 25 players from any Lions fixtures, some may be allowed to play in conflicting SR matches at the time. This gives out one signal.... “we are not withholding our players for fitness, training or conditioning purposes... rather it’s to withhold the lions from playing top class opposition and developing as a side”.

PDV said the very thing in his autobiography and stated it was a key aspect to victory amongst others.

Australia want to win the series, South Africa said the same in the last tour. There is no point arguing about the injustice of it all as it won’t make a difference and we will still be unprepared for it all come the 1st test in 2013 and beyond.

Therefore, since we won’t get top class opposition amongst the 3N domestic sides, lets tear up the tour and develop our own schedule. Perhaps we should conduct a tour more like the below.

Europe
Match 1 - Lions vs. Rabo Select (Murrayfield).
Match 2 - Lions vs. Premiership Select (Twickenham).
Match 3 – Lions vs. Barbarians (Aviva).
Match 4 – Lions vs. Italy/Argentina (Millennium)

Australia (example)

Match 5 – Lions vs. Super Rugby North Select (Reds & NSW)
Match 6 – Lions vs. Super Rugby South Select (Brumbies, Rebels & Force)

Match 7 - Test 1
Match 8 – Test 2
Match 9 – Australia A.
March 10 – Test 3.

The above would have a number of impacts.

Reduces the 8 week tour to 1 month which will help with player morale.
Gives more people in the UK the chance of seeing the lions live and generating home interest in the brand rather than having to spend £5-10K on a once in a lifetime tour.
Tour affordability increases for would-be fans from the home unions... 1 month and 6 matches is still a great trip but perhaps half the cost of the current ventures.
Provides the players and coaches 4 genuine competitive matches even before we set foot in the SH.
Adds at least 4 additional match day revenues to the coffers of the home unions.
The matches vs. the Rabo & Premiership select would give players not selected to prove the coaches wrong and put their hands up as ideal replacement.
The combining of the SR franchises will strengthen the sides choosing “the best from the rest”.

The 3N sides will not like the proposals as they will want all the matches at home to benefit from the revenue generated from the visiting fans.... however they cannot complain about this as the relationship should be a two-way street. They cannot demand all the revenue generated by the Lions tour and then create a one-sided event which only the touring fans will enjoy.

I understand it will kill the traditional tours for the fans... but in reality that died in 01. The SA 97 tour was the last real lions tour in terms of genuine dirt-tracker matches and what is most important is the tests, the lions as a competitive brand.

Many people in the SH like the Lions tours as in the end the Lions almost always lose, they prepare the hosting nation for a tough Rugby Championship (which as per the last 3 series, the hosts went on to win), it adds millions of $$$ to their coffers and gives them bragging rights over us for eternity (or at least 12 years).

But if we look at the team on paper we should be winning near all tours. On paper we should have won in 93, 01 and 09 but there are so many difficulties the team has to overcome that it’s become a near impossible task.

I am a big lions fan and managed to realise one of my rugby dreams by watching them on tour in 09 (albeit only by chance given I moved to SA). By re-addressing the situation as per above I think we will be able to tip the balance more onto a level playing field and probably lengthen the appeal of the lions as a concept which in the professional era has proved difficult.
Without that I fear that the continual series losses, the what-ifs and the lure of the RWC as the genuine goal for players will end what is still a glorious tradition in rugby and in any sport.

The Great Aukster wrote:It would seem the SH teams don't care about the non-test games, and worse want to disadvantage the Lions through them by not fielding competitive teams. This shows no respect for the tradition of the Lion's tours that emanated to help those very same beleaguered SH sides.

If the SH Unions have no sense of their own traditions or appreciate the NH sacrifice, it really is time to stop this quadrennial set back to NH rugby.

Didn't realise we were once beleaguered and rejuvenated by a quadrennial tournament. The cheque's in the mail.