2021 British and Irish Lions tour faces axe

The British & Irish Lions' tour to South Africa next year could be in jeopardy with the tour possibly being postponed or even cancelled as the home unions - England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales - fight for financial survival amid the coronavirus pandemic that has halted the game.

According to The Mirror,  the 2021 tour may be delayed or even cancelled altogether as rugby faces cash crisis, with home unions sweating on whether Autumn Tests and remaining Six Nations matches can go ahead.

The Lions are due to tour South Africa next year on an eight-match trip that is estimated to earn around £30m. However, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland are all sweating over whether or not they can play their autumn Tests, plus the four matches already held over from this season’s Six Nations due to the respective shutdowns.

If those games don’t go ahead – or are played behind closed doors – then the home countries are in danger of falling into an £80m black hole.

Some officials are already discussing how that would bankrupt the Welsh, Scottish and Irish unions and force them, as well as England, to make re-scheduled home Tests in 2021 their top priority.

A major stumbling block for a rescheduled tour will be the availability of Warren Gatland who has been granted a temporary release from his contract with the Chiefs for the 2021 tour.

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