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Rugby Union

Lions to play South Africa in three Tests next summer

10/04/2008

The itinerary for the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa has been unveiled, which features three Tests in a ten-match schedule.

Starting with a match against a Highveld XV in Rustenburg on Saturday May 30th, the Lions will play five more warm-up games against various opponents across the country before heading to Durban for the first Test on June 20th.

Before the second and third Tests in Pretoria and Johannesburg, respectively, the Lions will also play an Emerging Springboks XV at Newlands in Cape Town on June 23rd.

The series against the World Cup winners concludes on July 4th at Ellis Park.

British and Irish Lions chairman Andy Irvine said: "We are looking forward to touring such a wonderful country and playing the world champions on their own turf.

"The tour itself promises 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.

"Lions tours are unique events and as such extremely popular. We are expecting tens of thousands of Lions fans to travel to South Africa in 2009 and are certain that every one of them will come back with amazing memories."

The managing director of South Africa Rugby, Jonathan Stones, said he believes the Lions tour of 2009 "will be a massive sporting event, on a par with Rugby World Cup".

"We are putting in place an exciting programme and look forward to hosting this unique team," he explained.

The tour is the first by the Lions in South Africa since 1997 when the touring side lost only two matches during their visit and won the Test series 2-1. As will be the case next year, the hosts were then world champions.

Full British and Irish Lions itinerary for 2009 tour:

Saturday May 30th 2009
v Highveld XV; Royal Bafokeng, Rustenburg

Wednesday June 3rd 2009
v Golden Lions; Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Saturday June 6th 2009
v Cheetahs; Vodacom Park, Bloomfontein

Wednesday June 10th 2009
v Sharks; Absa Park, Durban

Saturday June 13th 2009
v Western Province; Newlands, Cape Town

Tuesday/Wednesday June 16th/17th 2009
v Coastal XV; Venue TBC, Port Elizabeth

Saturday June 20th 2009
1st Test; Absa Park, Durban

Tuesday June 23rd 2009
v Emerging Springboks; Newlands, Cape Town

Saturday June 27th 2009
2nd Test; Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Saturday July 4th 2009
3rd Test; Ellis Park, Johannesburg