LIONS WILL ROAR INTO ACTION NEXT SUMMER... BUT AT WHAT COST TO THE PLAYERS?

NO REST FOR ELITE

Full South Africa tour schedule:

THE British and Irish Lions have been given the go-ahead to tour South Africa next summer – sparking fresh concern for player welfare.

Weeks of uncertainty ended when organisers confirmed the eight-match trip – culminating in three Tests against the world champion Springboks – will take place as originally scheduled.

Both parties had been prepared to push the tour back to the autumn.

But with club and country unable to agree, the Lions, coached by Warren Gatland, right, chose to go ahead as planned, starting in Cape Town on

July 3 and running through to August 7, when the final Test is played at Ellis Park.

The fortnight-long series clashes with the Olympics but, of greater concern to players, will be that it leaves next to no time for rest from the moment the English Premiership resumes next month.

Former England star Freddie Burns has condemned as “madness” the schedule, which will result in clubs playing seven times in 28 days to finish this campaign in time to start the next one less than a month later. Elite players in England are limited to 30 full games – or 35 match “involvements” of 20 minutes or more – under the agreement between clubs, country and players’ union.

But the top players face the prospect of up to five Tests in the autumn and a Six Nations Championship in the spring. Add to that two European Cups and one-and-a-half domestic league campaigns before the Lions even set off and there are difficult conversations looming. ❑SEVEN players and two non-playing staff, from a pool of 856, have tested positive in Premiership Rugby’s second round of Covid testing.