A combined touring side comprising players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, the team has been known as the British Isles and the British Lions, but now play under the name British and Irish Lions. For the latest news on the Lions see below:
Press release regarding Schalk Burgers gouging hearing
We bring you verbatim the press release made by the South Africa Rugby Union regarding Schalk Burger’s discipliniary hearing outcome.
Given the significant amount of coverage this incident has caused, SA Rugby wishes to place on record the findings from the disciplinary hearing of Springbok flanker Schalk Burger.
Media should note the Judicial Officer specifically cleared Burger [...]
McGeechan forced into 8 changes for final test against the Boks
Injuries have been the major influence in the selection by British & Irish Lions coach Ian McGeechan as he makes eight changes to his side for the third and final Test in the Castle Lager Series against the Springboks this weekend. With four players invalided out of the tour last weekend Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, [...]
10 Changes in Springboks lineup for final Lions test
South Africa have made 10 changes to their starting line-up for Saturday’s third and final Test against the British and Irish Lions.
Only scrum-half Fourie du Preez, flanker Juan Smith, lock Victor Matfield and props Tendai Mtawarira and John Smit keep their places. Though if you look at the selections, this is still a powerful team [...]
Burger & Botha Banned but Lions are Battered
Following citings from Saturdays 2nd test in Pretoria, Schalk Burger has been given an 8 week ban for gouging and Bakkies Botha 2 weeks for dangerous play.
The bad news for the Lions is Burger and Botha out and arguably they will be replaced by players who are in better form. For the Lions, they [...]
Lions lose Series- South Africa 28 B&I Lions 25
Morne Steyn landed a penalty with the last kick of the game to give South Africa victory in the second Test and wrap up the series against the Lions.
Rugby can be cruel when a team has done all they think is necessary to force a draw, they have it wrenched away in the last minute. [...]
Ticket Prices Too Expensive in South Africa
Empty seats have been a obvious in most stadiums on the tour and now the South Africa rugby chiefs have admitted that lower than expected attendances on the tour are partly down to high ticket prices. Organisers have been criticised for a ticketing policy which saw seats on sale for the Tests for about £84, [...]
Simon Shaw one of 5 changes for the Lions
The British and Irish Lions have made five changes for the second Test against South Africa at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria on Saturday.
Simon Shaw replaces Alun Wyn Jones in the second row and Adam Jones and Matthew Rees come in for Phil Vickery and Lee Mears in the front row. Rob Kearney replaces the injured Lee [...]
Emerging Springboks hold Lions- Emerging Springboks 13 Lions 13
In atrocious conditions the Emerging Springboks had the better of the second half and so came back to force a draw with a try and wide conversion on the final whistle.
Newlands Stadium, Cape Town was the venue and although the game started with just the pitch wet, it soon offered the players all extremes of [...]
Schalk Burger back in Boks starting 15 for 2nd test
The South Africa team to face the British & Irish Lions on Saturday 27 June at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Kicking-off at 1400 BST (1500 local time) has been announced.
South Africa make one change for the second Test against the Lions with flanker Schalk Burger returning from injury in place of Heinrich Brussow. Burger missed the [...]
Emerging Springboks and B&I Lions Teams
Tim Payne has just been called into the Lions squad and gets a start along with John Hayes in the front row against the Emerging Springboks on Tuesday 23 June, at Newlands, Cape Town with kick-off at 18.10 UK time, 19:10 local.
Hayes, 35, was called up to the touring party after an ankle injury for [...]
The first Lions tour took place in 1888, when players from the combined rugby union sides of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland toured the Southern Hemisphere, playing against invitational teams in New Zealand and Australia, this is often not referred to as an official tour, but it is where it all started, after it was a commerical success.
