British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland wants his team to play a warm-up match against the All Blacks before their tour of South Africa next year.
Rugby, like most other sports, has been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Gatland, who coached the Lions in their drawn series in New Zealand in 2017, said the one-off decider could generate much-needed revenue when the sport resumes.
The 56-year-old added that he had broached the subject of the Lions playing the All Blacks to New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson, who mentioned New Zealand Maori as an alternative.
(AP Photo/Mark Baker)
“But is it something that the All Blacks go up there for? A decider before we go off to South Africa at the end of June next year,” Gatland told Sky Sports New Zealand.
“Potentially it’s an opportunity to make five million pounds ($A10 million) from a game like that and put some money back into the coffers that we’re going to need.”
Gatland stepped down as Wales coach after guiding them to the World Cup semi-finals last year and currently coaches Super Rugby side the Chiefs. He will take a year off from that role to lead the Lions on their tour.
The Lions play the first Test of the three-match series in South Africa at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on July 24, 2021, with the second Test to be staged at the Cape Town Stadium a week later.
The final Test will be played at the Springboks’ traditional fortress of Ellis Park in Johannesburg on August 7.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
What part of the Law of Diminishing Returns do sports administrators fail to grasp. It’s the first thing you learn in Economics……..The Lions are a very special legacy of Rugby and its history mainly because they are a rarity..not despite that. .. But hey let’s trash that for cash.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Sad
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Agreed but nobody is pretending it’s anything other than a money grab so you play it where you maximise revenue. Twickenham
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Buddy. When your 'opinion' has at it's heart declarations of national insecurity and lack of confidence, then it can only be childish. Fffs.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
We could ask all the 2017 players back? Also, if this is how it works now, can New Zealand challenge England to a one day World Cup decider to be played at the Basin Reserve?
soapit
Roar Guru
Not to mention a decider to a series played in 2017 should probably be played in 2017. Both teams are completely different. Would have no real relevance to the 2017 series
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Then we can take into consideration your Pom outlook with that kiddie like response? ffs. What tours? Nowhere near the tours that were part of the amateur era. Just remembering that a lot of experienced players have gone overseas to play in different nations and some are being made available for those nations, so where is the years of togetherness. Everyone will be at a disadvantage after this covid-19 pandemic, new coaches, new players, lack of training etc. I have my opinion, as you have yours.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Just play a WC every year.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
It still amazes me that after so long, so many still don't understand even the fundamentals of a Lions tour. Throwing an unfamiliar team together for just a few weeks, with a mishmash of new and unfamiliar coaches, who can only hope to instill the most basic of game plans, is at a significant disadvantage when faced with a tip tier International side with years of togetherness, playing on their home patch. Please take your childish agenda and go and watch something else.
allblackfan
Guest
Twickenham sits far more than Eden Park. But I don't see how revenue from such a game could be shared among all top tier nations. NZ would only agree if they made sufficient revenue from it never mind what England would want. Mind you, Argentina vs the Lions did set a precedent.
allblackfan
Guest
All they need to do is change the match officials.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
They'd better have an allowance for extra time and a goal kicking shootout, having another draw would be embarrassing.
Melburnian
Roar Pro
I don't agree with this concept but if it is to be then surely it has to be played in NZ? The BIL don't get home advantage ever, which makes their triumphs all the more special.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
No doubt if we in the SH had a combined SA/NZ team then possibly we might see a scoreline that would blow out. Like really IMO the " Lion's " really belong to the amateur era, where as now, it should be nation against nation, not nation up against a combination of nations. As it is, are the British nations so insecure that they still think that the only way to beat those down under, is to combine what we have, is the best available? Well then again it's the same with the Olympics, which many still class as nation against nation, with the exception of the British. So sad when they don't really appear to have any confidence in what they have in their own country. Is it time now to have combined nations competing against each other?
Jacko
Guest
I would have thought a decider to a series played in NZ would be played in NZ. If the UK is the place to play it then hopefully it would go into some sort of pool for allocation to all the top tier nations. SA could play their tour as scheduled then the EOYT from the SH could be games v the Lions by Aus and NZ ...maybe 2 games each...then Aus and NZ playing other nations in the weeks not playing the Lions....Make it a tournament type of profit share so all nations get equal returns...
Tony
Guest
Wonder what the money split would be. " Don't go" u will only get taken to the cleaners as usually happens up there when it comes to splitting the Gate takings.
Brenton
Guest
No, NZ had their 2017 series, the next one is in 2029. Wait for it. Let it build for 12 years. Its the world Champions turn now to play and (Fill the coffers).
TimO
Roar Rookie
Bring it on!