RA chief shocked Lions tour is taking place as planned

Chris Evans
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Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos speaks during the Super Rugby Season Launch 2021 at Taronga Zoo, Sydney, Wednesday, February 3, 2021. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi) NO ARCHIVING ** STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE, NO BOOKS **

Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos admits he was “surprised” to hear that the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa will go ahead as planned.

The Lions and SA rugby both confirmed on Tuesday that the Lions would be touring South Africa this summer, despite the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus situation.

RA did offer to host the tour, yet it appears the lure of playing with fans and a tour of Australia wasn’t strong enough.

“This announcement this morning that they’re going to host the Lions tour took me by surprise a little bit,” former Wales centre Marinos told reporters at a press conference in Sydney.

“I don’t know what the structure around that is looking like.”

Yet to begin vaccinating

South Africa have yet to begin vaccinating the general public, even in the most industrialised areas. It makes it almost certain that the Lions tour will be played behind closed doors.

The decision to opt against playing the tour in Australia is confusing at best, given how the Australians have played in front of crowds for the past number of months.

Normal life has practically resumed Down Under, but the Lions have stuck to their guns and surprisingly chosen to head to South Africa.

Regardless of the coronavirus situation, the tour has a number of interesting subplots to keep an eye on. 

South Africa haven’t played since the 2019 World Cup final where they claimed victory against England.

Rassie Erasmus stepped down from his coaching position following the final, with Jacques Nienaber his replacement, but he has yet to coach a game after they withdrew from last year’s rescheduled Rugby Championship. Their status for this year’s edition, scheduled following the Lions tour, is uncertain too.

RA had initially hoped that the Springboks would travel to Australia, but poured cold water on the Wallabies going to South Africa.

“We need to have those sort of robust conversations with South Africa, what does it mean?” said Zimbabwe-born Marinos.

“There’s more of a concern with our guys having to go over and potentially quarantine there than coming back and quarantining over here, which I know the South Africans are going to have to do if they come here,” he said.

“I think we’ve resigned ourselves to the fact that we’re probably going to be in a bubble in some way, shape or form.

“So we’re going to go through a process of determining where that needs to be. My request to SANZAAR is let’s get ahead of the game and build a proper model.”

Marinos also confirmed that Rugby Australia were “absolutely planning” on hosting France in July and told reporters that the French had a “huge desire” to go down under.

 

Australia