This weekend the British & Irish Lions will begin their playing schedule for this summer’s tour to South Africa when they take on Japan at BT Murrayfield. This unique tour, which will be played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions, will offer players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland the chance to come together and take on the world champion Springboks over three brutal tests.
Here, Cornish Pirates’ media mogul Ross Hancock tells us just what the Lions mean to him, his sport and four passionate rugby nations…
The British & Irish Lions are like no team in any sport. Ever since my father dragged me into a sweltering Ibiza bar away from our family holiday for a few hours in 1997 to see Jeremy Guscott drop kick us to a famous series win, I was hooked. What followed was the iconic ‘Living with the Lions’ documentary and those goose bump evoking words from Jim Telfer: “This is your Everest, boys.” A new passion in my life was born. Fast forward 24 years and we look ahead to a tour to the same country and quite possibly, the most unique Lions tour in history.
If rugby is your thing, you need no explanation as to how big a Lions series is. If you’re a casual follower or even less than that, let me put it this way – it’s the Six Nations turned up to 11. It may even be bigger than the Rugby World Cup, such is the prestige. Just think – you’re taking all of that raw passion and emotion from each home nation and channelling the fierce in-house rivalry into unity for what concocts a deeply special mix. The bonding a Lions tour creates between players from the four corners of Britain and Ireland is the closest thing that remains of the amateur ethos rugby holds so dear. That is what makes this team such a strong and unrivalled entity. The best of the best in Britain and Ireland, travelling to the best in the world every four years. If that doesn’t get your sporting juices flowing, nothing will.
As we’ve learnt over the last 18 months or so, sport is nothing without the fans and the Lions fans are a different breed of loyal. As the game has grown in the professional era, so to have the numbers who have followed the Lions to the other side of the world every four years. The ‘sea of red’ was born in Brisbane during a memorable first test win against Australia in 2001, when the away following outnumbered the locals by 3:1. I’m one of the lucky ones who has seen it first-hand. Words do it no justice. You’re a part of something truly special. Memorable. It’s something you just have to see for yourself. Walking around each corner of Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium before the second test in 2013 was like a scene from London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin rolled into one, as the familiar choruses of ‘Swing Low’, ‘Fields of Athenry’ and ‘Bread of Heaven’ chimed out. It was spine-tingling. Awe-inspiring. A fever pitch atmosphere like no other. And that’s just a fan’s experience, imagine how it feels as a player?
Lions Series wins are as rare as hens’ teeth by the way. We’ve triumphed in only one of five test series’ in the 21st century, despite the gripping series draw with the All Blacks last time out in 2017. To be in attendance for the only victory in that time was a childhood dream come true. My Lions journey had come full circle from an Ibiza boozer in 1997, to a glorious night with my father in Sydney 16 years later. As the unofficial Lions anthem of Wonderwall rang around ANZ Stadium in glorious victory, the tears flowed. I still get choked up thinking about it now. The Lions tug on very different heart strings. Was it worth the pain of a 42-hour journey home after celebrating until 5am? You bet it was and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Memories that will last a lifetime.
So to this summer and the unknown of a Lions tour amidst a global pandemic. Interesting sub-plots galore, as the world champion Springboks go into the series rusty having remarkably not played since the World Cup final two years ago. It gives the Lions a tangible chance, but it’ll still be a monumental challenge against notoriously the most physical, intimidating and brutal team in world rugby. The Lions will be looking for inspiration in the form of captain Alun Wyn Jones, who led Wales to the 2021 Six Nations title along with the scintillating Louis Rees Zammit, who lit up the tournament with some blistering individual tries. Scotland’s resurgence sees their biggest squad representation in 24 years and while England and Ireland haven’t quite hit the heights they would normally do, they are well represented with some serious class and fire power. This could well be the Lions strongest ever squad.
It promises to be another epic series this summer, with the Lions itching to add another successful chapter to their famous history book. It all kicks off with a warm up test against Japan at BT Murrayfield on June 26th.
