"Coronavirus Cup" To Snuff 2021 Lions Tour?

Francis Baron, former Chief Executive of the RFU, has put together a proposal for what is currently termed the “COronavirus Cup” – a 16 international team competition planned for June/July next year and to be held in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

If approved, the Lions 2021 tour to South Africa will have to be postponed.

“The key will be winning the support of the Southern Hemisphere unions,” Baron told The Telegraph.

“However, with everyone facing horrendous financial challenges, this is a bold and ambitious plan to raise large amounts of new cash from which they will be major beneficiaries.”

“The RFU should take a leadership position and propose to other major unions and World Rugby that a special one-off tournament be held," Baron continued, “Its key selling point is that all the money raised would be for keeping the game of rugby alive around the world.

“I have talked to one or two senior colleagues and they all think the country would get right behind it.”