Australian Lions Tour 2013

[Burgs]

Although it hasn't been announced as yet, and risking "assumption is the mother of all ....ups", then we are set to receive the B&I Lions in 2013.

If the number and order of matches is the same as '09, then you would assume that the the three Tests would be in Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney (probably in that order) which would leave Perth & Canberra with certain Provincial fixtures.

The SA schedule was:

30 May: Royal XV; Royal Bafokeng, Rustenburg
3 June: Golden Lions; Ellis Park, Johannesburg
6 June: Cheetahs; Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
10 June: Sharks; ABSA Park, Durban
13 June: Western Province; Newlands, Cape Town
16 June: Southern Kings; Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
20 June: South Africa(first Test); ABSA Park, Durban
23 June: Emerging Springboks; Newlands, Cape Town
27 June: South Africa (second Test); Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
4 July: South Africa (third Test); Ellis Park, Johannesburg

With a primary goal of the B&I Lions being to "spread the love" of Union and showcase how the sport should be played, we may find a match being played in one of the Rugby State regional centers such as Townsville or Newcastle, or maybe in Adelaide.
Wherever it is played it is going to be capable of a decent capacity to hold the 30,000+ Lions supporters on tour, let alone allowing room for any residents who may want to support either side.

A tour based on the '09 schedule may look like this:

Sat 30 May: Combined States XV*; Adelaide 51k
Wed 3 June: Brumbies; Canberra 22k/45k
Sat 6 June: Waratahs; Sydney 80k
Wed 10 June: Western Force; Perth 43k (hopefully more by then...)
Sat 13 June: Reds; Brisbane 52k
Tue 16 June: Fifth Aus S15 XV; Melbourne 100k (assumed...again, see above...)
Sat 20 June: Australia(first Test); Brisbane 52k
Tue 23 June: Australia A; Perth 43k (hopefully more by then...)
Sat 27 June: Australia (second Test); Sydney 80k
Sat 4 July: Australia (third Test); Melbourne 100k

*A XV made up of "the best of the rest", ie those not in any of the other fixtures plus at least one player from each of the Second Division Unions of NT, SA, Tas, Vic and WA. Preferably two each (10) and then twelve from the five S15 Squads.

Purely for capacity sake, the Brumbies may have to play at the Sydney Football Stadium to keep the tourist commercial packages but this would be a shame for the Canberra economy too.

"South African captain John Smit spoke of what Australia had to look forward to in 2013 for the next tour by the British and Irish Lions after his Springboks bowed 28-9 in Johannesburg. "The Lions series was an amazing experience from start to finish, from the day they arrived," Smit said of the rugby and the 30,000 Lions fans who toured South Africa."

[welshrugbyfan]

Sat 30 May: Wanneroo; Kingsway 20k on the sidelines
Wed 3 June: Brumbies; Canberra 22k/45k
Sat 6 June: Waratahs; Sydney 80k
Wed 10 June: Western Force; Perth 43k (hopefully more by then...)
Sat 13 June: Reds; Brisbane 52k
Tue 16 June: Fifth Aus S15 XV; Melbourne 100k (assumed...again, see above...)
Sat 20 June: Australia(first Test); Brisbane 52k
Tue 23 June: Australia A; Perth 43k (hopefully more by then...)
Sat 27 June: Australia (second Test); Sydney 80k
Sat 4 July: Australia (third Test); Melbourne 100k

Besides I thought the world was supposed to end in 2012?

[jargan83]

I went down to the WACA when they were here last time, depsite the lop sided score the atmosphere was pretty good.

Odd's are I will be travelling to the 3 Test matches in 2013

[Burgs]

I imagine there is a reasonable chance of TIF taking up the challenge.
Wherever it is played out it would be an awesome experience.

I was at the previous one at the WACA, assume that makes it '89, I was at school.
Remember it was an appropriate ground as it was a cricket score and also remember the awesome posters, had it on my wall in the boarding house for ages.

It would mean one less fixture for Australian players, but the ARU would make a lot of friends if they allowed the Pacific Islands to play one match at an Australian venue too. Doubt it would happen though.

[AndyS]

If it helps, this was the schedule from 2001:

Fri 8 Jun: Western Australia 10 - 116 British & Irish Lions, WACA
Tue 12 Jun: Queensland Pres XV 6 - 83 British & Irish Lions, Dairy Farmers Stadium
Sat 16 Jun: Queensland Reds 8 - 42 British & Irish Lions, Ballymore
Tue 19 Jun: Australia A 28 - 25 British & Irish Lions, North Power Stadium
Sat 23 Jun: NSW Waratahs 24 - 41 British & Irish Lions, Sydney Football Stadium
Tue 26 Jun: NSW Country Districts 3 - 46 British & Irish Lions, Coffs Harbour Int Stadium
Sat 30 Jun: Australia 13 - 29 British & Irish Lions, The Gabba
Tue 3 Jul: ACT Brumbies 28 - 30 British & Irish Lions, Bruce Stadium
Sat 7 Jul: Australia 35 - 14 British & Irish Lions, Melbourne Colonial Stadium
Sat 14 Jul: Australia 29 - 23 British & Irish Lions, Stadium Australia

I'd expect they'd start here again, and only visit the once...

[TOCC]

i went to the Australia - Lions match at the Gabba, was a fantastic experience and possibly the best rugby union match i have ever been to...

and it was on a cricket field

[jargan83]

should be a cracker at Suncorp in 2013 then!
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[The Man]

Under the Sanzar deal thre will only be a three week break for Super Rugby in June

So there would be only 3 maybe 4 " Tour" games?

Who misses out? NSW Country Cockatoos? Queensland?

[Thequeerone]

Sounds like a compressed drinking tour then .. damm

[jargan83]

Under the Sanzar deal thre will only be a three week break for Super Rugby in June

So there would be only 3 maybe 4 " Tour" games?

Who misses out? NSW Country Cockatoos? Queensland?

Midweek Tour games?
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[slomo]

i'm up for it ... 3-4 weeks off work, all test matches and mid week games....