Aussies offer to host Lions’ series with Springboks as back-up plan

THE British and Irish Lions’ showdown with South Africa has taken a remarkable twist after it emerged that Australia has offered to host the series this summer.

The prospect of the Lions touring South Africa as planned now looks hugely unlikely due to the ongoing prevalence of Covid and the slow start to the vaccination programme in the Springboks’ homeland.

With the three-match Test series scheduled for July and August, any contingency plan would require the co-operation of the various unions, along with Sky Sports, who hold the broadcasting rights.

Other options include playing the games in the UK instead or postponing the tour for another year until 2022. That, however, is understood to have little support.

But Hamish McLennan, the chairman of Rugby Australia, has already contacted World Rugby, the South African Union and the RFU with plans which could yet see the Lions head Down Under.

Key to any negotiations will be how to split the revenue from the tour. The Lions remain a hugely-lucrative brand and would be set to face the world champions Springboks in a mouth-watering clash.

Australia are much further down the line with Covid and have already outlined plans for up to 30,000 fans to attend daily at next month’s Australian Open tennis.

And the Aussies may yet have thrown the unlikeliest of lifelines to a Lions tour going ahead, with McLennan pressing forward with some bold plans.

He told The Sunday Times:

‘We have already staged rugby here around Covid with the precautions we took to play the Rugby Championship.

‘And this weekend, after the players have finished quarantine, the Australian Open tennis starts with 30,000 people allowed in.

‘There are so many ex-pats living around Australia from South Africa and the UK and Ireland that we still feel we could fill the grounds.’