Lions must go on tour, says Spencer
John Spencer has made a passionate plea to the board of the British and Irish Lions to make it their “absolute priority” to ensure that the tour of South Africa goes ahead – even if it means postponing it for a year.
The Lions board will meet today to discuss whether the tour can take place given the implications of the pandemic and to consider contingency plans, including relocating the tour to the UK and Ireland.
Spencer, who was the Lions manager in New Zealand four years ago, warned that switching to a “home” series would risk destroying the creed and ethos of the tourists.
The former England captain, who toured with the Lions to New Zealand in 1971, said he had been speaking with a number of former players, who all shared his view.
Willie John Mcbride, the most famous Lion, who captained the “Invincibles” tour of South Africa in 1974, told The Daily Telegraph in January that switching to a home series would cause irreparable damage to the tourists. Spencer agreed. “I am firmly in the Willie John Mcbride camp,” Spencer said. “In many ways he is the official mouthpiece for the Lions because he has been on more tours – five – than anyone else.
“The Lions are all about touring and tradition. It is not just a clinical game of rugby on a Lions tour – it is about touring, knowledge of the country and the legacy you leave. Playing the matches in this country will dilute the creed of the Lions.”
The option to postpone until next year has gained little traction because of the impact it would have on national teams’ plans for the World Cup in France in 2023.
Spencer said: “That doesn’t wash one iota with me. The Lions only got two weeks to prepare for the New Zealand tour and we only had 11 players in the first week, three of whom were injured, to prepare against the world champions on their own patch. How long do you need for a World Cup?”
Gordon Elliott faces a referral hearing of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board at 9.30am today over an image from 2019 of the three-time Grand National-winning trainer sitting astride a dead horse.
Elliott, 43, who has been “cooperating fully” with the IHRB investigation, is believed to be facing a charge of bringing the sport into disrepute, though that has not been confirmed by the board.
It is unclear whether he will attend the hearing at The Curragh, the IHRB headquarters, or whether it will be conducted on Zoom as
British disciplinary hearings have been during the pandemic. Cliodhna Guy, the IHRB’S head of legal and licensing, is expected to present the case against Elliott.
There is no guarantee of a resolution today if the panel decides to delay a verdict until it has written reasons. Later in the day, Elliott has five runners at Fairyhouse.
Meanwhile, Henry de Bromhead confirmed Rachael Blackmore will ride A Plus Tard in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while Jack Kennedy has been booked for Minella Indo. He also confirmed his unbeaten Irish Champion Hurdler Honeysuckle will run in the Champion Hurdle and not the mares’ hurdle.
The BHA has issued a reminder to British trainers to keep up their biosecurity following an outbreak of the highly contagious EHV-1 at an international showjumping event in Valencia. This version of equine herpes virus attacks the horse’s nervous system and so far six horses have died as a result of the outbreak, including one in Germany and another in Doha which had been at the show. Some 84 horses were being treated on site in Valencia.
The governing body, the FEI, has described it as “the most serious outbreak of EHV in Europe for decades”. The BHA is in contact with France Galop, the IHRB and British Equestrian Federation to monitor the situation. Though shows have been cancelled in France, there is no evidence so far of any outbreak in any thoroughbred sector. “We have just reminded everyone around good biosecurity,” said James Given, the BHA’S director of equine health and welfare. “We’re taking advice from Richard Newton [an epidemiologist], who is the leading expert.”