JOIN THE SEA OF RED
Head t o South Af rica nex t year wit h t he Lions of f icial t r avel company
THERE ARE rugby tours and then there are British & Irish Lions Tours. And there are captains and then there is Sam Warburton. The Lions will head to Springbok country next summer to take on the current world champions and although Warburton won’t be leading the best players from the four home unions against South Africa, there is no greater authority on what makes a genuine Lions Tour experience.
Interest in the next chapter of Lions history is already at peak levels and thanks to the Lions’ own travel company, there has never been a more rewarding way to be part of rugby’s greatest adventure. Their range of ticket-inclusive travel experiences not only guarantee access to the very best rugby but will open up the holiday of a lifetime too, as Warburton explains.
“Now I can look back on my time as a Lion with amazing memories – maybe the best moments of my life when you’re going through it,” he says.
“You’re so desperate to win. Warren Gatland would always say pre-match, there are people who have spent thousands and thousands of pounds to travel halfway across the world to watch us play, who save for years, and they’ve fought tooth and nail to get a ticket to get into the arena where we are, that’s how special it is. You feel a lot of pressure to deliver for all those people coming across because the support that you get as a player is incredible.
“But you’ve got to go as a fan. On each tour I had friends who came out and they said it was the best money they’ve ever spent on a rugby tour.”
Warburton is one of only two men to captain the Lions on two Tours – the victorious one to Australia in 2013 and the drawn series against the All Blacks
in 2017 – so he will be a big miss when Gatland names his squad to take on the Rugby World Cup winners.
But he is now a fan and by touring with the Lions, supporters will be guaranteed a genuine and authentic experience. Tickets are 100% official and guaranteed and your group will be seated together in the Sea of Red, who will swarm across South Africa to create one of the greatest atmospheres in sport.
Lions Rugby Travel has flexible payment options to make it even easier for fans to spread payments and a Covid-19 guarantee, which means if the Tour is cancelled or postponed before you travel because of the pandemic, fans will be entitled to a full refund.
“You either go on tour and have the time of your life or you get your money back – so it’s win-win,” says Warburton, before emphasising the importance of supporters on Lions Tours.
“When you just walk in through the hotel foyer or you’re on the bus into the ground, you don’t experience support like that ever in your career. Nothing, nothing compares to it at all and it is an unbelievable privilege to have that behind you.”
Above all, a Lions Tour is about friendships, incredible experiences and coming together as one mighty force while discovering a great country. Whether it’s the pre-match ‘Lions Den’ bringing the atmosphere to a crescendo ahead of kick-off, dedicated staff available throughout the Tour to assist and support or access to Lions legends like Warburton, Lions Rugby Travel offer the definitive touring experience.
And that’s not all. Whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience, a beautiful excursion to the Winelands, a trip up Table Mountain or a holiday further afield in Victoria Falls or Mauritius, there is something for everyone to enjoy away from the rugby.
“I remember Table Mountain as my most vivid memory and you get an amazing view of Cape Town,” Warburton says. “It’s just one of those special places I think you have to go to. It’s one of the best places I’ve ever visited in the world. It is an amazing country.”
“The support that you get as a player is incredible. It is an unbelievable privilege to have that behind you”
Sam Warburton