Much excitement is brewing on both sides of the equator in the 199 days (and counting) leading up to the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2009.
South Africa’s Springboks are the current world champions following their sensational win at the Rugby World Cup in 2007. They will be taking on the visiting Lions in three Test matches on home soil.
The Lions and SARU (South African Rugby Union) have drawn up a ten match programme for the tour, including the 3 Test matches against the Boks.
Tens of thousands of British and Irish fans are expected to fly to South Africa for the event, with many accommodation establishments in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg (where the Test matches are scheduled to be played) are already filling up fast.
On the British & Irish Lions .v. South Africa Tour 2009 group on facebook, British & Irish Lions chairman Andy Irvine is quoted as saying
"We are looking forward to touring such a wonderful country and playing the World champions on their own turf. The tour itself promises to be full of challenges in a country where rugby is a real passion but I am confident that the 2009 Lions will acquit themselves well.”
SA Rugby’s Jonathan Stones added:
"The Lions tour will be a massive sporting event, on a par with Rugby World Cup and is expected to be a huge success…It is anticipated that South Africa will reap significant economic benefits from this tour."
Apart from the three Test matches, the Lions will play in 7 cities over 6 weeks, with the first game of the tour being played against the Highveld XV in Rustenburg on Saturday, 30 May 2009.
The Test matches against the Springboks are scheduled as follows:
- · 20 June in Durban
- · 27 June in Pretoria
- · 4 July in Johannesburg.
Two high profile matches will be played at Newlands in Cape Town.
The official tour website is encouraging those flying in from the UK to spend time enjoying and touring South Africa between matches. This event can only be good news for local tourism.
Meanwhile there appears to be good news on the recent furore over whether or not the Sprinbok emblem will still be adorning the players’ jerseys.
For benchmarked accommodation throughout South Africa during the tour, contact Portfolio today.
