NZR chief’s cutting remark to Stephen Jones after claims Lions ‘should not’ face the All Blacks
All Blacks and British and Irish Lions players after 2017 drawn series, and NZR CEO Mark Robinson.
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has hit back at Stephen Jones after the experienced journalist suggested the British and Irish Lions should tour elsewhere in 2029.
After an underwhelming series against Australia finished recently, despite the Wallabies showing up well in the final two Tests, the famous touring side are set to visit New Zealand in four years’ time.
The Lions rotate between facing the Springboks, Wallabies and All Blacks over a 12-year cycle, but Jones wants it to be shaken up.
Jones’ view
“Why do they have to plod wearily along the same routes? Surely it’s up to the host unions to balance their own books. The Lions have been a charitable institution for way too long,” he wrote in his Sunday Times column.
“They should change. They should not go to New Zealand in 2029, or, at least, they should debate the issue first.
He added: “I would put France down as a venue for four years; then it could be judged that New Zealand deserve a spot and deserve a visit four years after that.”
Those in New Zealand feel that Jones has a certain disdain for their rugby and NZR chief Robinson duly responded when speaking to Newstalk ZB.
“Well, Stephen wouldn’t be aware of this,” he said rather sarcastically, before then addressing the matter at hand. “But we had a fantastic meeting in Sydney last week with the Lions in the build-up to the last Test.
“We had a whole day, midweek, and plans are steaming along really well. We’re hugely excited about where things sit there.
“We spent a lot of time talking about the potential schedule, the number of Tests, of non-Tests. They’ve worked towards a joint venture model in more recent tours, with South Africa, which was unfortunately impacted by COVID, and then Australia this year.
“So that’s a new model we’re sort of getting our heads around and understanding more about. So we spent a lot of time on that.”
Two Lions tours in New Zealand
He added: “Look, the Lions are hugely excited about coming to New Zealand, and we’re looking forward to having them here.
“And then we spent a lot of time, we’re getting closer to announcing what the format and nature of the Women’s Lions Tour, the inaugural Women’s Lions Tour in 2027, will be. And that’s going to be super exciting as well. We’re really excited about where we’re landing with that programme.”
Robinson is known for often playing a straight bat but he couldn’t resist slightly going off-script by concluding with a rather cutting comment.
“So no, Stephen might be a little bit off course there, but that won’t be the first time and probably won’t be the last,” he said.