The highly-anticipated British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa will go ahead as originally scheduled in July and August next year.
Although there had been talks that the tour could be pushed back to later in 2021, it was officially confirmed in a joint release on Wednesday that the highly-anticipated eight-game showpiece event will kick off as planned on 3 July.
In that first match the Stormers will take on the Lions at Cape Town Stadium. Three weeks later the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg will host the first Test – a venue which has previously hosted the 2010 Fifa World Cup final.
The second Test follows on Saturday 31 July at the Cape Town Stadium – the first Lions Test in the Mother City since 1997 – before the British & Irish tourists return to Gauteng for the final Test on Saturday 7 August at Emirates Airline Park – the storied venue of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.
The British & Irish Lions have toured South Africa on 13 previous occasions, with the first Tour taking place in 1891.
In that time, the Lions have won four Test series, lost eight with one drawn. Their overall record against the Springboks is: played 46, won 17, lost 23 and drawn six.
Over 30,000 rugby-mad supporters are expected to travel to South Africa for what is said to be the most lucrative rugby competition outside the World Cup.
For more information on the best range of ticket-inclusive travel packages to South Africa please visit www.lionsrugby.com/tours
Full 2021 tour schedule:
Saturday 3 July: British & Irish Lions vs Stormers – Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Wednesday 7 July: British & Irish Lions vs South Africa Invitational – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Saturday 10 July: British & Irish Lions vs Sharks – Kings Park, Durban
Wednesday 14 July: British & Irish Lions vs South Africa A – Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Saturday 17 July: British & Irish Lions vs Vodacom Bulls – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Saturday 24 July (first Test): Springboks vs British & Irish Lions – FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Saturday 31 July (second Test): Springboks vs British & Irish Lions – Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Saturday 7 August (third Test): Springboks vs British & Irish Lions – Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg.
