Lions to pick Murrayfield for pre-tour visit of Japan

Murrayfield has emerged as the favourite to host the British and Irish Lions’ home Test in June next year.

It is understood the Edinburgh venue is the most likely to stage the visit of Japan, the first home Lions Test since Argentina came to Cardiff in 2005.

The Rugby Football Union has already indicated it is not prepared to make Twickenham available, as the Premiership final is scheduled to be played there on the same weekend.

Regardless of that, the Lions are understood to be keen to play Japan in Edinburgh to appeal to the Celtic market and would aim ticket sales at Irish and Welsh fans as well as Scots.

Organisers are hopeful that the 67,000-capacity stadium would sell out. The match precedes the Lions tour of South Africa in July and August, for which 30,000 fans are expected to travel.

It has been estimated that the Lions would raise around £5 million by hosting this pre-tour match, whereas revenue from match tickets in South Africa will go to the home union.

The Lions are thought to feel that the Celtic market is a lucrative target. They are also keen to engage with the Scottish market as the country has provided the smallest number of players in recent years.

The fixture would allow head coach Warren Gatland an extra game to prepare his squad for three Tests against the world champions. His squad would almost certainly feature England’s Saracens contingent, who will be playing in the Championship next season following their side’s relegation for salary-cap breaches.

The Lions are due to play their first match in South Africa on July 3, seven days after the Premiership final, and want to ensure there is no repeat of the chaotic start to their 2017 tour of New Zealand, when the squad arrived three days before their first game.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Premiership Rugby indicated that, unlike the Pro14, it was unwilling to alter the date of its showpiece final, but the Lions board has agreed to push ahead with the Japan fixture.

Japan defeated Ireland and Scotland last autumn in reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup in front of their own supporters.

It is hoped that Jamie Joseph’s side will help to bring in additional television revenue after the huge support they drew at the tournament.

The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, which has a capacity of 74,500, had been an early favourite to host the Test, with Dublin’s Aviva Stadium also seen as a possibility, but it seems that Murrayfield has won out.

The majority of the Lions’ income is raised through sponsorship and broadcast deals, which amounts to about 70 per cent of revenue.

The Lions attracted the support of 18 companies for their 2017 tour, including a £6.25 million shirt sponsorship deal from Standard Life.

The tour made them around £5million, having covered costs of more than £15million.