TOUR WITH US. THE LIONS. · Tour with us. What makes us different is our staff. From the moment you enquire about your chosen Lions Tour, all the way through your journey in South

TOUR WITH US. THE LIONS.

S O U T H A F R I C A 2 0 2 1

2021 TOUR PACKAGES

Make your Lions dream a reality

TOUR WITH US.THE LIONS.Enjoy the

ultimate Tour

EXPLORING THE RAINBOW NATION

A TOUR FOR THE AGES

Your expert travel guide to South Africa

Looking back at unforgettable 2017

WELCOMEA warm welcome from our Chairman, Lion #664 Jason Leonard OBE.

12

2 4115 55473BEYOND THE TOURHow you can enhance your Tour experience with additional travel destinations.

TOUR PACKAGESExplore a selection of our packages to get a flavour of what your Tour will look like, with many more available online.

THE RAINBOW NATIONAward-winning travel journalist Chris Leadbetter gives us his in-depth view of travel in South Africa.

A TOUR FOR THE AGESWe look back at the unforgettable 2017 Lions Tour to New Zealand.

TOUR WITH US. THE LIONS.A true Tour experience with the Lions including exclusive access.

Let us take you on an unforgettable journey to South Africa with the greatest touring team in rugby.

WE ARE THE LIONS

WE KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT TOURING.

NOBODY ELSE WILL GET YOU CLOSER TO THE HEART OF LIONS HISTORY, CULTURE AND LEGENDS.

It’s an honour to welcome you to this exclusive preview for the upcoming Lions Tour to South Africa in 2021. You are just one step away from touring with us, the Lions.

JASON LEONARD OBE, LION #644CHAIRMAN, THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

I’m delighted to welcome you to this exclusive preview for the Lions Tour to South Africa in 2021.

I hope the prospect of the Tour has kept your spirits up over the last few months and, on behalf of everyone in the Lions family, that you, your friends and families are all well.

The world is a very different place to how it was a few short months ago but as professional athletes return, the green shoots of recovery are beginning to emerge and that is something we can all be thankful for.

We’ve been busy over these uncertain

weeks to make sure next year’s Tour is the most rewarding ever. From support on flexible payment options to reassurances on our official tickets, we want to assist you as much as we can so you can be part of it with us.

I was fortunate enough to go on three British & Irish Lions Tours, including visiting South Africa as part of the 1997 squad. Coming back to the Lions in my current capacity as Chairman has been a fantastic experience.

It’s brought back so many memories for me. The people, the places and the experiences my Lions Tours gave me are so special. Those bonds it creates between players are very precious to all of us. For fans, it’s just the same. Socialising together, helping each other out along the way, and then being there in the stands as the team takes the field for each match.

Since my first Tour in 1993, the crowds following the Lions have grown every time. The effort people make to come and support us is humbling and as players it is something we never took for granted.

Personally, returning to South Africa will be special. It’s a true hotbed of rugby where the people are almost without exception passionate

about the game. The likes of Kruger National Park, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town are amazing places to visit. I might even find time for a game of golf in Sun City!

From a sporting perspective, the fact that South Africa are Rugby World Cup champions takes this Tour to the next level. That first Test promises to be an incredible occasion and I know 23 proud Lions will be ready to face the newly crowned world champions.

Lions Rugby Travel will play a huge role in making all of this happen. They are a key part of the Lions family and have been preparing for this Tour for many months, all with the goal of bringing fans the best sporting experience of their lives.

Touring with us means access to special events, including the pre-Test Lions Dens, dedicated knowledgeable staff supporting you throughout, guaranteed flights, the best hotels, smooth transfers and an unmatched selection of incredible excursions. Our aim is to get you immersed in Lions history, culture, legends and the country itself.

The level of planning and knowledge we put in means they can do that to an exceptionally high level.

Booking with us means you are touring as part of the Lions family for a once in a lifetime experience.

I hope to see you there in the Lions Den. In the meantime, please keep well and stay safe.

BOOKING WITH US MEANS YOU ARE TOURING AS PART OF THE LIONS FAMILY FOR A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE.

south africa 2021 | 2

TOUR WITH US.THE LIONS.Whether you’re a seasoned Tourist or looking ahead to your first Lions experience, we know how to make sure that you have the holiday and sporting trip of a lifetime.

Lions Supporter Tours A dedicated teamTour your own way Official merchandise

We provide a genuine and authentic Lions fan experience; nobody will get

you closer to the heart of the Lions with exclusive access to special events, legends,

team training for some packages and much more.

Our on-the-ground staff boast a wealth of experience and knowledge, always on

hand to support you and ensure that your Lions experience is perfectly arranged.

Choose from a wide range of flexible packages, with guaranteed flights, hotels,

transfers and excursions with upgrade options to further enhance your

Tour experience.

Truly feel a part of the Lions family with an incredible merchandise pack including a replica jersey and more from the official Canterbury range; your very own piece of

the Sea of Red.

Ticket-inclusive packages

Guaranteed official match tickets, a great range of international flights with

airport transfers, as well as an unbeatable selection of hotels, carefully chosen by

our expert team.

Exclusive events

Our clients were blown away by the size, scale and impact that our Lions Dens and

Eve of Test events created in 2017. We promise there will be even more to come

in South Africa.

BROWSE AND BOOK PACKAGES AT L IONSRUGBY.COM/PAP OR CALL +44 (0)344 788 4070BROWSE AND BOOK PACKAGES AT L IONSRUGBY.COM/PAP OR CALL +44 (0)344 788 40703 | tour with us. the lions. south africa 2021 | 4

This is the biggest and best rugby party in town, the one everyone wants to be at. Your entry to our Lions Den on matchday is included in your official Tour package.Quite simply, the Lions Den rocks. Incredible special guests, wonderful entertainment, inclusive food and drink – the build up to a Lions Test Match does not get any better. In 2017 our Dens were the talk of New Zealand and our aim is to make them even better in South Africa. This is the ultimate rugby party and you are invited! Just make sure you don’t miss it.

In 2017 we saw the wonderfully ebullient Scott Quinnell free-wheeling through the crowds with a microphone, Sean Fitzpatrick gasping in disbelief at the Sea of Red in front of him, to ‘500 Miles’ featuring Laura Wright, John Spencer the Lions Tour Manager and MC Andy Nicol. Along with great food and drink, there was no better pre-match Lions party than the Lions Den, and 2021 will be no different.

It’s all about the fans, it’s all about the atmosphere.

The Lions Dens are about great entertainment, 100MPH activity and involvement and quite simply the best pre match atmosphere anywhere in sport.

THE LIONSDEN

THE LIONS DEN IS THE BEST RUGBY EXPERIENCE I’VE EVER HAD. AMAZING ENTERTAINMENT, FANTASTIC FOOD, GREAT ATMOSPHERE. IT’S THE BEST.2017 LIONS SUPPORTER

10,259 52,05030Fans attended Items of foodLions Legends and

celebrities

THE LIONS DEN EXPERIENCE WAS AMAZING AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE A PART OF.LIONS DEN GUEST

LIONS DEN INCLUSIONS

Lions Legends and Celebrities

Food and drink

Entertainment


By touring with us, you’ll get exclusive access to incredible events featuring some special guests and endless entertainment. We know how to put on a show and get you closer than anyone else to the Lions.

Priority Access Pass Event

Eve of Test Events

Welcome Information

Full Tour Events

Only available to Priority Access Pass holders who book within their priority window, our exclusive pre-Tour event

in the UK combines genuine insight and stories from within the Lions, throwbacks and memories from Lions legends as well as food and drink, to get you ready for that journey to

South Africa.

In 2016, Head Coach Warren Gatland and Tour Manager John Spencer lifted the lid on life as a Lion, got fans under

the skin of the world’s greatest touring team and provided an exclusive insight into preparation and plans for the Tour to

New Zealand.

Plans are already underway to make our event or events even more rewarding!

The countdown to kick off officially starts here: welcome to our Lions Theatre on the night before each Test match.

Soak up and enjoy unrivalled access to some of the biggest names and personalities in Lions history - this is a moment not to be missed. With exclusive renowned entertainment

only available with us, our Lions Theatre will bring your experience to life.

Hear how the Lions will meet the challenge of South Africa head on from men who have done it and experienced it.

Delve into Lions folklore and legend with great stories from the past and mix and mingle with new friends, all united by

one thing: being on the rugby Tour of a lifetime.

Our aim is to deliver the rugby and holiday experience of a lifetime and we will help you settle with all your important

information.

We want everyone to have the best time possible; but we also want everyone to be safe, secure and well informed about key

dos and don’ts in South Africa.

Informative, light-hearted and packed full of great advice from your Lions Event team, all you have to do is have the

time of your life.

The Full Tour is an opportunity like no other to experience the Lions.

With tickets to every game, access to our exclusive special

events and Lions Den as well as the once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Lions train up close and personal, this cannot be beaten for the genuine and authentic Lions Tour.

And with additional events and get togethers guaranteed,

our Full Tour will be the Lions holiday of a lifetime.

EXCLUSIVEEVENTS


south africa 2021 | 1 0

As the Lions exist to Tour, we exist to make it a reality for you. Our staff are not only passionate about rugby but knowledgeable about travel, customer service and providing a fantastic experience throughout your Lions Tour with us. What makes us different is our staff.

From the moment you enquire about your chosen Lions Tour, all the way through your journey in South Africa, at airports, hotel desks, special events and until you land back in the UK, our dedicated team will make the difference. The Lions are the best of the best – and that’s exactly the service you will get from us.

THE SERVICE WE HAD AT EVERY STAGE WAS FIRST CLASS, YOU COULDN’T FAULT IT. NOBODY DOES A BETTER RUGBY TOUR EXPERIENCE.2017 LIONS SUPPORTER

UNRIVALLEDEXPERIENCE

9 | tour with us. the lions.


There is nothing like the Lions. And there is nothing like meeting and greeting the heroes who have worn that iconic red jersey. If you love the Lions, their history and the personalities that have made it possible, nobody will get you closer than us.

In 2017, more than 35 Lions Legends attended our events, met fans, went on excursions, made people laugh, lifted the lid on the teams and created a buzz at events and in hotels like never before. Whether it’s photographs, signed shirts or a beer, we pride ourselves in bringing it to life for you. We get you closer to the legend of the Lions than anyone else. We are the Lions – and you can be part of it too.

SUCH FANTASTIC EVENTS AT THE LIONS DEN. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS ELECTRIC, THE FOOD AND DRINK GREAT AND ENTERTAINMENT SECOND TO NONE.2017 LIONS SUPPORTER

CLOSER TOLIONS LEGENDS

1 1 | Tour with us. the lions.

Official Lions SA2021 Supporter Merchandise

A host of Lions goodies will make their way to you as part of your package.

The Sea of Red is one of the most iconic images in sport and, with your official Lions replica jersey, you will become part of it – whether it’s at one of our events or cheering the Lions on

in the stands.

And that’s not all, with a range of official Canterbury merchandise worth more than £300 in many packages,

including back-pack, cap and an extensive range of clothing, the only thing missing will be your boots – but you will have

to pack those yourself.

Guaranteed OfficialMatchday Tickets

Our tickets are 100% guaranteed and official and they will be confirmed in writing when you book.

We guarantee you will be all seated together and with like-minded fans. For groups, including up to 40 people, we will ensure you are not scattered throughout the stadium but

all together, to be part of the unique Lions atmosphere.

Imagine turning up at one of the biggest Lions Test Matches of all time and discovering your ticket is unofficial and

invalid. It’s a scenario not even worth considering.

When you book with us, your tickets are 100% genuine and assured. We will offer a ticket category upgrade option when

you book, where applicable. Some packages will already include Category A tickets.

We will create and deliver an authentic Lions Tour experience.

THE CONTACT WE HAD WITH SUPPORTERS, STAFF AND EX-PLAYERS MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE.GAVIN WELCH

AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE From the moment you start your booking with us until the moment you land back in the UK, our expert team will provide a genuine and memorable Lions journey. As the Lions, nobody will get you closer, from service, quality, access to legends, experience and knowledge about what makes a great Lions Tour.

1 3 | tour with us. the lions. south africa 2021 | 1 4

TOURPACKAGES

Whether it’s about being there for every defining moment or a holiday in the South African sun,

witnessing the Lions in action, our package options have you covered. You choose the combination of destinations and Lions matches to suit your ideal

travel experience.

Immerse yourself in the culture and beauty of South Africa while following the Lions with every step on our Full Tours, or enjoy your Tour in the ultimate

Lions luxury on our Platinum Tours.

Our popular Fully Escorted Tours, Flight, Accom-modation & Ticket packages are perfect for those

who love the instant craic of touring and soaking up the atmosphere amongst the Sea of Red. And, with a guaranteed place at our exclusive Lions Den events,

the party starts the moment you arrive.

Test Match Tours

Full Tour

Platinum Tour

Flight & ticket

Accommodation & ticket

South Africa. The Lions. The Ultimate Touring Experience.

V I S I T U S

Explore our full range of packageslionsrugby.com/PAP

C A L L

Speak to our expert team

+44 (0)344 788 4070Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm*

Please note, members of the team are working remotely so please bear with us as we deal with

your enquiry. Thank you.

*longer opening times will apply during the PAP window.

FIVE GREAT WAYS TO TOUR WITH US



NELSON MANDELA BAY STADIUMPORT ELIZABETH

JONSSON KINGS PARKDURBAN

CAPE TOWN STADIUMCAPE TOWN

LOFTUS VERSFELDPRETORIA

FNB STADIUM / EMIRATES AIRLINE PARKJOHANNESBURG

MBOMBELA STADIUMMBOMBELA

DATE MATCH LOCATION STADIUM

Saturday 3rd July 2021 DHL Stormers Cape Town Cape Town Stadium

Wednesday 7th July 2021 South Africa ‘Invitational’ Port Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Saturday 10th July 2021 Cell C Sharks Durban Jonsson Kings Park

Wednesday 14th July 2021 South Africa ‘A’ Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit Mbombela Stadium

Saturday 17th July 2021 Vodacom Bulls Pretoria Loftus Versfeld

Saturday 24th July 2021 South Africa Johannesburg FNB Stadium

Saturday 31st July 2021 South Africa Cape Town Cape Town Stadium

Saturday 7th August 2021 South Africa Johannesburg Emirates Airline Park

1 7 | tour with us. the lions.

PACKAGES OVERVIEW

BOOK OR BROWSE MORE PACKAGES ONLINEwww.lionsrugby.com/PAP+44 (0)344 788 4070

JULY 2021 AUGUST 2021

PACKAGE ID NIGHTS HOTEL RATING DATE OF DEPARTURE PRICE PP * TUE 20 WED 21 THU 22 FRI 23 SAT 24 SUN 25 MON 26 TUE 27 WED 28 THU 29 FRI 30 SAT 31 SUN 1 MON 2 TUE 3 WED 4 THU 5 FRI 6 SAT 7 SUN 8 MON 9

THREE TEST TOURS

CK 17 Standard Wednesday, July 21, 2021 £6,595 Garden Court Sandton City Protea Hotel Cape Town Sea Point Garden Court Sandton City

CB 17 Budget/Standard Wednesday, July 21, 2021 £6,695 Garden Court Sandton City Cabanas Cabanas StayEasy Cape Town City Bowl Garden Court Sandton City

CA 19 Budget/Standard Monday, July 19, 2021 £7,095 Garden Court Sandton City Cabanas Cabanas ONOMO Hotels Cape Town Inn on the Square Premier Hotel The Winkler Peermont Metcourt

CI 19 Budget/Standard Tuesday, July 20, 2021 £7,445 Protea Hotel Johannesburg Wanderers Cabanas Cabanas ONOMO Hotels Cape Town Inn on the Square Garden Court uMhlanga Peermont Metcourt

CQ 19 Standard Wednesday, July 21, 2021 £7,595 Peermont Metcourt Sabi River Sun Sabi River Sun Holiday Inn Cape Town Garden Court uMhlanga Peermont Metcourt

DM 19 Standard Wednesday, July 21, 2021 £7,695 Peermont Metcourt Protea Hotel Kruger Gate Protea Hotel Kruger Gate Best Western Fountains

HotelProtea Hotel Knysna Quays

Garden Court Kings Beach Protea Hotel Johannesburg Wanderers

DG 19 Standard Monday, July 19, 2021 £8,295 Holiday Inn Sandton - Rivonia Road Protea Hotel Franschhoek SunSquare Cape Town Gardens Bakubung Bush Lodge Peermont Metcourt

CD 19 Standard Monday, July 19, 2021 £8,595 Holiday Inn Sandton - Rivonia Road Soho Hotel Soho Hotel The Portswood Protea Hotel Kruger Gate Peermont Mondior

CM 18 Superior Tuesday, July 20, 2021 £9,195 Southern Sun Montecasino Southern Sun The Cullinan Southern Sun Montecasino

CZ 19 Superior Tuesday, July 20, 2021 £9,595 Hyatt Regency Johannesburg De Zalze Lodge Southern Sun The Cullinan aha Ivory Tree Game Lodge Hyatt Regency Johannesburg

DA 19 Superior Monday, July 19, 2021 £10,995 Hyatt Regency Johannesburg Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa

Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa The Westin Cape Town aha Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge Southern Sun Montecasino

CN 19 Deluxe Tuesday, July 20, 2021 £11,395 Palazzo Montecasino Cape Grace Palazzo Montecasino

TWO TEST TOURS - TESTS 1 & 2

JA 12 Budget/Standard Monday, July 19, 2021 £5,395 Peermont Metcourt Cabanas Cabanas StayEasy Cape Town City Bowl

JE 12 Budget/Standard Monday, July 19, 2021 £5,695 City Lodge Fourways Protea Hotel Hazyview Protea Hotel Hazyview SunSquare Cape Town

Gardens

JB 12 Superior Monday, July 19, 2021 £6,595 The Maslow Cascades Cascades The Commodore Hotel

JF 10 Superior Wednesday, July 21, 2021 £6,995 Hyatt Regency Johannesburg aha Makalali Main Lodge aha Makalali Main Lodge Southern Sun Cape Sun

JC 11 Deluxe Tuesday, July 20, 2021 £7,695 Sandton Sun The Palace of the Lost City The Palace of the Lost City The Westin Cape Town

TWO TEST TOURS - TEST 2 & 3

MN 10 Budget/Standard Wednesday, July 28, 2021 £4,995 City Lodge Hotel Victoria & Alfred Waterfront City Lodge Hotel Fourways

MG 11 Standard Tuesday, July 27, 2021 £5,695 Park Inn by Radisson Cape Town Foreshore

Protea Hotel King George

Garden Court Kings Beach City Lodge Hotel Fourways

MH 10 Superior Wednesday, July 28, 2021 £6,445 Southern Sun Cape Sun Grande Roche Hotel Hyatt Regency Johannesburg

MO 12 Standard/Superior Monday, July 26 2021 £6,695 Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Cape Town Mdluli Safari Lodge Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Johannesburg Melrose Arch

ML 11 Superior Wednesday, July 28, 2021 £7,245 Southern Sun The Cullinan aha Ivory Tree Game Lodge Hyatt Regency Johannesburg <!-- GENERATOR: ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR 24.0.3, SVG EXPORT PLUG-IN --

1ST TEST, JOHANNESBURG 3RD TEST, JOHANNESBURG2ND TEST, CAPE TOWN

SAT 24 SAT 31 SAT 7

Below is a sample of our Tour packages. For a full range and all options, visit lionsrugby.com/PAP.

DESTINATIONS: JOHANNESBURG KNYSNA

CAPE TOWN DURBAN

SUN CITY WINELANDS

KRUGER MAURITIUS

PORT ELIZABETH PILANESBERG

*Prices are per person, excludes single room supplements. All prices and hotel availability are subject to change.1 9 | tour with us. the lions. south africa 2021 | 2 0

BOOK OR BROWSE MORE PACKAGES ONLINE

TOUR INCLUSIONS

FULL TOUR

PLATINUM

THREE TEST+ 1 PROVINCIAL

THREE TEST

TWO TEST

ONE TEST

FLIGHT & TICKET

HOTEL & TICKET

TOUR DURATION

4 weeks + •3- 4 weeks •2 - 3 Weeks • • • •1 - 2 weeks • • • •Under Week • • •DESTINATIONS

Johannesburg • • • • • • • •Cape Town • • • • • • • •Sun City • • • • • •Kruger • • • • • •Game Drives (if visiting Kruger or Sun City)

• • • • • • •

Pretoria • •Port Elizabeth • • • •Knysna • • •Durban • • • • •Winelands • • • •Victoria Falls •Mauritius •Pilanesberg • • • • •

Not only will we get you closer to the Lions than ever before, create incredible events and always guarantee your match tickets are 100% official, our packages have a great range of inclusions, excursions and extras that means we offer the complete touring experience.

FULL TOUR

PLATINUM

THREE TEST+ 1 PROVICIAL

THREE TEST

TWO TEST

ONE TEST

FLIGHT & TICKET

HOTEL & TICKET

OFFICIAL MATCH TICKETS

All Matches • •3 Test Matches + 1 Provincial • •3 Test Matches • • • •2 Test Matches • • • •1 Test Match • • •ACCOMMODATION

Deluxe • • • • •Superior • • • • • •Standard • • • • • •Budget • • • •FLIGHTS & TRANSFERS

Return International Flights • • • • • • •Economy Class Included • • • • • •Flight Upgrades Available • • • • • •Business Class Included •Domestic Internal Flights • • • • • •Matchday & Airport Transfers • • • • • • •EXCLUSIVE LIONS EVENTS

Lions Den Matchday • • • • • • • •Eve of Test • • • • • • •LIONS OFFICIAL ACCESS

Official Merchandise Pack • • • • • • • •Enhanced Merchandise Pack • •Access to Team Training •Dedicated Lions Staff Suport • • • • • • • •www.lionsrugby.com/PAP

+44 (0)344 788 4070

KEY: INCLUDED

INCLUDED IN SOME PACKAGES

NOTE: A range of accommodation is available in all package types. Prices and packages subject to change.

2 1 | Tour with us. the lions. south africa 2021 | 2 2

Return economy class international flights and all internal travel between destinations, either by coach or plane

Optional flight upgrades available

Airport to hotel transfers

Hotel accommodation including breakfast (based on twin/double sharing)

Guaranteed, official match tickets

Official merchandise pack worth more than £300 that includes your replica jersey

Exclusive access to our Priority Access Pass holders’ special event (subject to booking within the Priority Access Pass window)

Access to our exclusive Lions Den fan villages on matchdays

Invitations to our Eve of Test Match special events

The chance to hear from and meet Lions legends and celebrities

Our experienced staff supporting you throughout

The knowledge your Lions experience is taken care of the moment you book

If it’s about being there for every defining moment on the field and every life-holiday experience away from the rugby, look no further than our Three Test Tours.

Not only does this package guarantee your place at every Test Match, it also ensures the holiday of a lifetime across the Rainbow Nation. Quite simply, this is where your Lions dreams are made – it’s one of rugby’s ultimate experiences, one of our most popular packages and a very special way to be part of the greatest touring experience in the world.

This is a thrill a minute, Lions odyssey to the land of the reigning World Champions. You can be there every step of the way. We’ve made it easy for you by selecting some of our favourite Three Test Tour packages, all you have to do is choose the perfect one for you!

INCLUDED IN YOUR THREE TEST TOUR

THREE TESTTOURS


SAFARI AND THE CITY

With guaranteed tickets to all three Test matches and the opportunity to mix a walk on the wild side with a game drive in Kruger National Park and a spot of serious relaxation at Sun City, this is just about the perfect holiday combination.

You will spend four nights each in Sun City and Kruger, one of the true treasures of this wonderful country. Sandwiched between these will be a stay at the Portswood in Cape Town, one of the most glorious cities in the world with its stunning coastline and awe-inspiring Table Mountain.

And with the beginning of your Tour at The Holiday Inn Sandton, Rivonia Road and ending in the Peermont Mondior at Emperors Palace in Johan-nesburg, this is a Lions Tour to cherish.

19-NIGHT TOUR £8,595 PP

THE CAPE AND JO’BURG EXPERIENCE

For atmosphere, magic special events that will lift the lid on Lions history and folklore, the chance to get to know like-minded fans and the opportunity to explore the delights of Cape Town and Johannesburg, this package is hard to beat.

Tour CK includes eight nights at the Garden Court Sandton City Hotel over two separate stays and nine nights at the Protea Hotel Cape Town Sea Point. If you simply want a holiday by the pool, mixing with other Lions fans and enjoying a drink or two dissecting the latest Lions performance, this is the package for you.

A 17-night three Test experience that will take you on a rollercoaster adventure at all three Test Matches. Big game – in every sense of the word – will be the highlight of this

19-night three Test journey into the heart of South Africa.

3 TEST TOUR . ONLINE REF: TOUR CK

3 TEST TOUR . ONLINE REF: TOUR CD


CHOOSE THIS PACKAGE IF You want to see the best of South Africa’s Test Match destinations and don’t want to miss an iconic game.

PRICES £6,595pp to £11,000+pp

NIGHTS Packages available from 17 nights or longer Single room supplements apply

BOOK OR BROWSE MORE PACKAGES ONLINE BOOK OR BROWSE MORE PACKAGES ONLINEwww.lionsrugby.com/PAP+44 (0)344 788 4070

www.lionsrugby.com/PAP+44 (0)344 788 4070

17 19

• JOHANNESBURG (4 NIGHTS) • CAPE TOWN (9 NIGHTS) • JOHANNESBURG (4 NIGHTS)

• JOHANNESBURG (5 NIGHTS) • SUN CITY (4 NIGHTS) • CAPE TOWN (3 NIGHTS) • KRUGER (4 NIGHTS) INCLUDING A GAME DRIVE • JOHANNESBURG (3 NIGHTS)

BROWSE AND BOOK PACKAGES AT L IONSRUGBY.COM/PAP OR CALL +44 (0)344 788 4070 BROWSE AND BOOK PACKAGES AT L IONSRUGBY.COM/PAP OR CALL +44 (0)344 788 4070

PRICES

CHOOSE THIS PACKAGE IF You want to experience two extra

locations like Kruger and Sun City in between the Test Matches

PACKAGE OPTIONS£6,595pp to £11,000+pp

Packages from 17 nights or longerSingle room supplements apply

NIGHTS


TOUR CDKRUGER, SUN CITY, CAPE TOWN JOBURG

SPECTACULAR SAFARIAND WINELANDS


• JOHANNESBURG (5 NIGHTS) • WINELANDS (3 NIGHTS) • CAPE TOWN (3 NIGHTS) • PILANESBERG (4 NIGHTS) • JOHANNESBURG (4 NIGHTS)

THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME3 TEST TOUR . ONLINE REF: TOUR CZ

19

94%

92%

95%

88%

90%

of clients said their trip either met or exceeded their expectations with 24% saying it was the trip of a lifetime

of clients were satisfied with the service they received

of clients said the events programme met or exceeded their expectations

of clients said they would recommend us to a friend

of clients said packages represented good value for money

What our supporters had to say about their experience in New Zealand 2017.

There is nothing like the Lions when it comes to atmosphere, camarade-rie and memories and this Tour has the lot: Sensational rugby, beautiful locations and stunning hotels. You will be there when the Lions kick off their odyssey against the reigning World Champions with five nights in the Hyatt Regency in Johannesburg before heading to De Zalze Lodge in the Winelands for three nights. It’s then off to Cape Town for three nights across the Second Test before exploring Pilanesberg with a game drive at the aha Ivory Tree Game Lodge – a wonderful opportunity to get South Africa under your skin – before returning to the Hyatt Regency for the Third Test. Quite simply a magnificent way to the world’s greatest touring team in action.

A very special Lions Tour experience featuring four destina-tions across 19 nights and three incredible Test Matches.

CHOOSE THIS PACKAGE IF You’d love to see more of South Africa with a game drive and a tour of the Winelands.




BROWSE AND BOOK PACKAGES AT L IONSRUGBY.COM/PAP OR CALL +44 (0)344 788 40702 7 | Tour with us. the lions.






Official merchandise pack worth more than £300 that includes your replica jersey




The chance to hear from Lions legends and celebrities



INCLUDED IN YOUR TWO TEST TOUR

A two test Tour opens the door to so many Lions opportunities.

For a rugby fan, they are perfect, no matter which combination of matches you want to see.

If it’s all about being there when the Lions kick off for their first Test Match in four years, then Tests one and two are perfect. It guarantees your place for the opener and a potential decider, as well as two locations in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

No matter what combination you choose, the Lions will be roared on by a legion of fans that come together to make a Lions experience the best in rugby.

Whether it’s all about being there when the Lions kick off against the World Champions, or witnessing a potentially critical final Test, your place at the game and an unforgettable experience is guaranteed.

TWO TESTTOURS


TOUR CDKRUGER, SUN CITY, CAPE TOWN JOBURG

CAPE, SUN AND SAFARI

• JOHANNESBURG (5 NIGHTS) • SUN CITY (4 NIGHTS) WITH A GAME DRIVE IN PILANESBERG • CAPE TOWN (3 NIGHTS)


CITY AND SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

• CAPE TOWN (5 NIGHTS) • KRUGER (4 NIGHTS) WITH A GAME DRIVE • JOHANNESBURG (3 NIGHTS)


2 TEST TOUR (TESTS 1 & 2) . ONLINE REF: TOUR JA 2 TEST TOUR (TESTS 2 & 3) . ONLINE REF: TOUR MO

12 12

BOOK OR BROWSE MORE PACKAGES ONLINE BOOK OR BROWSE MORE PACKAGES ONLINEwww.lionsrugby.com/PAP+44 (0)344 788 4070

www.lionsrugby.com/PAP+44 (0)344 788 4070

This 12-night package guarantees your place at Tests One and Two and the next chapters in this remarkable rugby rivalry.

With five nights in the Peermont Metcourt at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, the opportunity to kick back and relax at Cabanas in Sun City and three nights in the StayEasy Cape Town City Bowl, this not only has all the elements of a great holiday in three locations, it will bring the Lions and their legends to life.

If the Series is locked at 1-1, you will play a full part in creating one of the most passionate and memorable atmospheres in rugby to cheer the Lions home. In rugby terms, this is quite literally Everest and memories that will last a lifetime. Your 12 nights will be split across some wonderful locations and hotel properties. You will spend a total of eight nights at the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice Hotels across Johannesburg and Cape Town as well as four nights in the Mdluli Safari Lodge in Kruger, where a very special game drive is also included in your Tour.

A Lions Tour is all about friendships, memories and the holiday of a lifetime and this will provide all three.

You know the feeling: the prickle of heat, the surge of energy, the belief you could be in that famous red jersey, the pride, the passion, the togetherness. This is what it’s like to follow the Lions.

Whatever the result, you are guaranteed to see the conclusion of the most anticipated Lions Tour ever with a Two Test experience that takes in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

CHOOSE THIS PACKAGE IF You want to soak up sensational Kruger National Park in between the Second and Third Test matches.



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PRICES

CHOOSE THIS PACKAGE IF You want to experience two extra

locations like Kruger and Sun City in between the Test Matches

PACKAGE OPTIONS£5,395pp to £7,695+pp

Packages from 10 nights or longerSingle room supplements apply

NIGHTS


There is only a small time difference, so it’s possible for your dreams to become reality at any of the three Tests and also guarantee your place at our exclusive Lions Den matchday pre-Test events.

Choose between the opening Test of the Series, a potential Second Test decider in Cape Town or the finale in Johannesburg. Whatever your choice, it will be unforgettable.

These packages offer the flexibility to come with or without flights so if you already have flight options, we can provide hotel and ticket packages. No matter what combination you are after, no matter how big your Tour party, we’ve got it covered.

VIEW ALL PRICES, OPTIONS AND AVAILABILITY ONLINE

South Africa is perfect for a one Test experience. This is about the unforgettable feeling you get alongside thousands of other Lions fans.

ONE TESTEXPERIENCE

If you just want to say, ‘I was there’, want to feel part of something special and tick a Lions Tour off your bucket list then a One Test Tour is a great option.

ONE TESTTOURS 1 TEST TOURS . MULTIPLE OPTIONS ONLINE


CHOOSE A ONE TEST TOUR IF You just want to see the Lions in action against the reigning World Champions.

PACKAGE PRICE OPTIONSFind all options online by filtering for One Test Tours.

FULLY ESCORTED from £2,645pp

FLIGHT AND TICKET from £2,295pp

HOTEL AND TICKET from £1,595pp

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FULL TOUREXPERIENCEThis is it. A 38-night extravaganza, eight incredible destinations, all eight Lions matches, safari game drives, beautiful beaches, wonderful Table Mountain, great food, mind-blowing culture.

FULL TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• CAPE TOWN (3 NIGHTS) • KNYSNA (2 NIGHTS) • PORT ELIZABETH (3 NIGHTS) • DURBAN (3 NIGHTS) • KRUGER (4 NIGHTS) WITH TWO GAME DRIVES INCLUDED • PRETORIA (3 NIGHTS) • SUN CITY (4 NIGHTS) WITH ONE GAME DRIVE INCLUDED • JOHANNESBURG (3 NIGHTS) • CAPE TOWN (9 NIGHTS) INCLUDING TABLE MOUNTAIN TOUR AND WINELANDS TOUR • JOHANNESBURG (4 NIGHTS)

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PORT ELIZABETH

DURBAN

WINELANDS

PRETORIAJOHANNESBURG

MBOMBELASUN CITYPillanesburg

Garden Route

Kruger National

Park

KNYSNACAPE TOWN

COMPLETE LIONS TOUR . ONLINE REF: TOUR AA

INCLUDED IN YOUR FULL TOUR

38 nights

Eight locations

All eight matches

Exclusive access to team training






Enhanced Official merchandise pack that includes your replica jersey




The chance to hear from or meet Lions legends and celebrities



A number of other events across the Tour


And then it’s to Port Elizabeth and Durban in the Protea Hotel uMh-langa as the Tour hots up. It’s almost time for the Test Series to begin but not before a visit to Mbombela, formally Nelspruit, for the game against South Africa ‘A’.

With Pretoria, Sun City and Johannesburg all to discover, this Full Tour experience promises to be the jewel in the crown of package options and something to savour.

Begin in sumptuous Cape Town, staying at the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel – a perfect start to any Tour. Then it’s off to Knysna, where golf or a stroll along the beach will be the order of the day.


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PLATINUM EXPERIENCE

17-NIGHT PLATINUM EXPERIENCE £23,945 PP

The Lions are the ‘best of the best’ and that’s exactly what this incredible package is: the ultimate Lions Three or Two Test experience.

THREE TEST PLATINUM TOUR . ONLINE REF: TOUR PD

INCLUDED IN YOUR PLATINUM TOUR

Return business-class international flights and all internal travel between destinations, either by coach or plane


Private transfers between the airport and your hotel on arrival in South Africa and on departure


Guaranteed Category A official match tickets

Enhanced official merchandise pack that includes your replica jersey

Exclusive access to our Priority Access Pass holders’ special event* (subject to booking within the Priority Access Pass window)



The chance to hear from and meet Lions legends and celebrities



A number of other events across the Tour

You have some of the best hotels in South Africa available to you, business class flights and access to the very best Lions exclusive events. We will provide you with a dedicated Tour host, on call 24-7 and platinum group transfers to each special location as well as private transfers on arrival and departing from South Africa.

With limited availability, this package will redefine the ultimate in Lions luxury.

In Kruger, we have reserved the Kapama Karula, in Cape Town, the beautiful Vineyard, in the Winelands, the Lanzerac Hotel & Spa and in Johannesburg, The Saxon – four wonderful hotels offering the height of style, comfort and service.

When you add in breath-taking game drives and wine tasting in Stellenbosch, this all adds up to something incredible.

And that’s even without the rugby. If this Series is as exciting, tense and dramatic as the one in New Zealand, it will be an experience hard to beat – we’d love to take you on this journey.

Our Platinum Tour is an exclusive package offering a luxury experience across 17 unforgettable nights.

PLATINUM HIGHLIGHTS

• JOHANNESBURG (3 NIGHTS) • KRUGER (4 NIGHTS) WITH GAME DRIVES INCLUDED • CAPE TOWN (5 NIGHTS) • WINELANDS (2 NIGHTS) • JOHANNESBURG (3 NIGHTS)

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JOHANNESBURG

Kruger National

Park

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south africa 2021 | 3 8 3 7 | tour with us. the lions.

Flight & Ticket Fully Escorted, excluding international flights

If you are fortunate enough to have friends or family living in South Africa; our flight and ticket package

has you covered.

It allows you the flexibility of choosing the international flight dates to suit you, with guaranteed match tickets for the

games you want to see with the added freedom of staying with friends or family.

This is a hassle-free way to be part of the Tour with the ultimate security your tickets are 100% official and

guaranteed.


Another great DIY package – we provide you with those all-important match tickets and a place to

rest your head after a great rugby party!

This package allows you to source and book your own international flights, use air miles or simply make your own travel arrangements – what won’t be included are transfers

from the airport to your hotel when you arrive in South Africa.


Whether it’s all about being there when the Lions kick off against the World Champions, or witnessing a potentially critical final Test, your place at the game and an unforgettable experience is guaranteed.

MORE WAYS TO TOUR

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BEYOND THE TOUR

The beauty of a Lions Tour is that it’s a gateway to a memorable and life-affirming holiday. Not only will our Tours get you to the very best of South Africa but there are plenty of options beyond the Tour too – either between matches or after the final whistle has blown. Our Tours will include the opportunity to extend your journey further, either with a relaxing beach break in Mauritius or with the spectacular scenery of Victoria Falls. The choice is yours, you won’t be disappointed.

MAURITIUS VICTORIA FALLS

IN A NUTSHELL: IN A NUTSHELL:A sunshine paradise, with British echoes, in the Indian Ocean.

The African continent’s – and arguably the world’s – greatest waterfall.

as it does so. Simply, “Victoria Falls” is one of Mother Nature’s most impressive masterpieces, the Zambezi frothing and churning as it races towards the abyss. While it is neither the tallest nor the broadest waterfall on Earth, the combination of its height and its width (1,708m/5,604ft) means it is generally regarded as the largest. That it forms part of the border between two countries – Zambia upon the east side of the currents, Zimbabwe on the west – only adds to its rare mystique.

And yet, for all its wild aura, ‘Victoria Falls’ is remarkably accessible. It has its own airport (on

Is it part of Africa? Is it part of Asia? Is it part of that glorious, hazily undefined section of the Indian Ocean where golden sands are nudged by waves of postcard blue? The answer is probably the third one – although, in truth, when a place is as beautiful as Mauritius, questions of precise geography cease to matter. An independent island nation pitched 1,200 miles east of the African mainland, what was once a British colony is now a go-to destination for a hot-weather holiday – and of as much appeal to rugby fans wanting a break in the middle or at the end of the Lions Tour as sun-lovers fleeing the European winter.

In fact, Mauritius is probably more accessible for travellers who flock to South Africa in 2021 to watch Warren Gatland’s men than it is for those who fly 12 hours from London to catch a few rays – there are direct flights which take about four hours. Those who make this short leap will find much to enjoy on an island that sprouted from the depths via volcanic activity as ‘recently’ as eight million years ago – but has cooled into an oasis that takes lounging on the beach to artform level.

Should you just want to relax, there is no need to wander far beyond the shore, but

adventure is possible too – perhaps via a day-trip to Black River Gorges National Park, where rare birds flutter amid protected forest. There is also a good deal to recommend the capital Port Louis, whose name recalls French colonial control of the island during the 18th century, and red post-boxes sing of the British era that followed.

The Lozi language of Zimbabwe and Zambia always had it right. While ‘Victoria Falls’ – the name given to this epic cascade on the River Zambezi by explorer David Livingstone in 1855 – is known across the planet, the local phrase for what is one of Africa’s most spectacular natural ‘landmarks’ comes with a romantic power that does the job far better.

‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘The Smoke That Thunders’ – is the entirely accurate indigenous term for a water feature that plunges 108m (355ft) in two drops, sending up a sprawling cloud of spray and a ceaseless roar of noise

the Zimbabwean side), which welcomes direct flights from South Africa (from Cape Town and Johannesburg). Zambia and Zimbabwe have a simple visa system in place which allows tourists to make day-trips to the other side of the Zambezi, to see the waterfall from the opposite bank. Those of a more intrepid mindset can also sit in the Devil’s Pool – a hollow in the river, on the Zambian side, where a protective wall of rock means you can splash and swim safely, metres from the precipice.

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and lifelong friends. However, a similar thing happens to the travelling fans and that is not lost on Sam,

“It’s so weird that four months before, you’re walking into Twickenham, Aviva Stadium or BT Murrayfield, which are flooded with opposition fans and none of them are cheering for you, and then on a Lions Tour, you go into your hotel or an open training session on the other side of the world and there could be hundreds of them cheering you on. Suddenly there are English, Irish and Scottish accents all cheering for you, personally as well, which is surreal when you’ve been against those guys for all your career.

“To have all those nations put their own nationality to one side and jump on the Lions band-wagon is unbelievable. In 2017 I remember watching social media videos that were leaked through to the players of the Fan Zone/Lions Den in Auckland and it was a complete Sea of Red. I remember watching that - I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, the number of fans that were over and the amount of noise they were making, it was honestly unbelievable and overwhelming.”

Sam’s words underline the instrumental role that the Sea of Red adopts as the 16th man on a Lions Tour. From back home to the airport, from the training ground to the hotel, and from the Lions Den to the stadium, the Lions family will be incredible to be a part of in 2021.

BEST MONEY THEY HAVE EVER SPENT.In captaining the Lions on five occasions, Sam Warburton fulfilled his childhood dream. After receiving the initial call to join the squad, he fully stepped up to the responsibility of leading the team, on Tour and back home, quickly establishing himself as a Lions Legend. However, Lions Legend or not, first and foremost he remains a huge Lions fan. Here’s what he had to say when we asked him about his experience of touring with the Lions,

“You have to go as a fan on a Lions Tour, I was lucky enough on both Tours that I had about five friends that travelled out and, for them, it was the best money they have ever spent on going to watch a rugby game. They were in the fan zones with all the thousands and thousands of other Lions fans, all going mental for the Test Series, I’ve never been involved in anything like it. It makes the whole experience amazing, being a part of an enormous family of 30,000 people they said was just an incredible feeling.”

Imagine the feeling that must have been for Sam’s friends, joining 30,000 others in supporting him and the team out on the other side of the world. The atmosphere that that kind of support brings to a Tour is truly electric and it means everything to the players,

“The only thing I can think of that might come close to a Lions Tour would be the Ryder Cup, with the atmosphere that that generates. But the Ryder Cup is over a weekend and the British & Irish Lions is for six to eight weeks, so you get that experience for much longer. You get the warm-up games, the Test Series and you travel around the country that you’re playing to visit so many places. Given the duration of the Lions, that’s what makes it more special for me. Then, if I could compare the Test Series to

anything, it would be like having a Superbowl every Saturday for three weeks. The games are massive: I’ve never played in games with so much hype, publicity and attention around them. It’s amazing.”

I CAN’T THINK OF ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE YOU’LL GET TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TRAVELLING 40 HOURS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, TAKING OVER A STADIUM, TO WATCH YOU PLAY.

The Tour represents something unique to Sam, but despite having the lifelong ambition of being a part of a Lions Tour, it was not until he pulled on the cherished number seven jersey that the true nature of being a Lion really sank in,

“You want to win, it’s all about being the absolute best and that’s the main reason you want to play for the Lions, but when you’re in it you realise, you are part of probably the most special team in sporting history. I can’t think of another example where you’ll get tens of thousands of people travelling 40 hours to the other side of the world, taking over a stadium, to watch you play in the pouring rain. I can’t think of any other examples in sport where that would happen and to be a part of that is unbelievable.”

Much is made (quite rightly) of the remarkable fusion of Home Union players into a single playing unit: from rivals to teammates SAM

WARBURTON#800

I HAD FIVE FRIENDS THAT TRAVELLED OUT AND, FOR THEM, IT WAS THE BEST MONEY THEY HAVE EVER SPENT.


A TOUR FOR THE AGESA look back at the unforgettable 2017 Lions Tour to New Zealand.

2017 was always going to be an epic Tour. Having defeated Australia in 2013 for their first Series win in 16 years, the Lions were looking to take on the best in the world and beat them. New Zealand, two years prior, had clinched back to back World Cups for the first time. So it was the RWC Champions against the best of the best from Britain and Ireland, with the whitewash of 2005 still lingering in the memories of Lions fans.

The Tour concluded with one of sport’s most iconic images – Kieran Read and Sam Warburton standing together holding the trophy after drawing the Series 1-1. Two brilliant teams that couldn’t be split. Despite a whole list of factors against them; facing off against the World No. 1 Team less than a month after the end of the Premiership season, a hefty list of warm-up games against top-class opposition and some uncompromising media coverage, the Lions equipped themselves on and off the pitch, leaving a lasting legacy and many memorable games.

The ‘warm-up’ matches proved a testing schedule for the squad. But those games were far from warm-up standard, all providing scintillating spectacles for the supporter. Narrow defeats came against the Blues and the Highlanders and a draw against the Hurricanes, but well-fought victories over the NZ Provincial Barbarians, Crusaders, Maori All Blacks and the Chiefs gave the Sea of Red much to cheer about. The extensive circuit allowed supporters to follow the team and get away from the rugby by exploring the numerous excursions and activities that were on offer.

The Test Series will go down in history due to its unique finish, but there were many truly remarkable moments which we will never forget:

The First Test at Eden Park, Auckland, where we saw THAT try. A fantastic length-of-the-field score that started with a mazy run by Liam Williams, then neat offloading and outrageous footwork from Jonathan Davies and Elliot Daly respectively. Davies was bundled over just short of the line, but managed to find Sean O’Brien who, having maintained his support line all the way from his own 22, went over for a memorable try.

The scintillating Second Test. The Sonny Bill Williams red card, Taulupe Faletau diving over in the corner in the 60th minute of the Second Test to get the Lions back into the game and Owen Farrell knocking over a 78th minute penalty to make the score 21-24 and take the Series to a Third Test decider.

What to say about the Third Test? A tense encounter with body after body put on the line for the full eighty. It had everything. Farrell showing incredible nerve to land another late penalty, ultimately drawing the match and the Series, was a stand-out moment to crown all of those which left us all on the very edge of our seats; stadium or sofa.

THE TEST SERIES WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY DUE TO ITS UNIQUE FINISH, BUT THERE WERE MANY TRULY REMARKABLE MOMENTS WHICH WE WILL NEVER FORGET.THE BAXTERS

94%

92%

95%

88%

90%

of clients said their trip either met or exceeded their expectations with 24% saying it was the trip of a lifetime

of clients were satisfied with the service they received

of clients said the events programme met or exceeded their expectations

of clients said they would recommend us to a friend

of clients said packages represented good value for money

What our supporters had to say about their experience in New Zealand 2017.


SITTING AMONGST THE RED ARMY AND WITNESSING THE TEAM WIN AGAINST THE DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPIONS IS AN EXPERIENCE ONLY A FEW WILL EVER HAVE A PRIVILEGE OF HAVING.

OUR DREAMS HAVE BEEN REALISED, OUR MEMORIES WILL BE CHERISHED FOREVER.

You saw these moments on the TV, imagine what it was like to witness them live at the stadium buzzing with All Blacks fans and the Sea of Red. Tens of thousands of Lions fans had that opportunity…

For any sporting team to have 30,000 supporters travel to the other side of the world to watch them play is truly phenomenal, but when you have people from Four Nations coming together to support One Team, you have something which is so uniquely special to be a part of.

The passionate support, coupled with the culture and harmony that the Lions family takes with it, helped to highlight the ability of rugby to bring people together on and off the pitch across all boundaries, no matter which team you support.

There was plenty of banter shared between both sets of supporters after the matches, who clearly made an excellent impression on each other. New Zealanders were incredibly welcoming of the Lions family; one Lions fan even ended up being kindly hosted by the mother of brothers Rieko and Akira Ioane, the evening before the Lions took on the Blues. The New Zealand Herald credited the Lions and its support over the Tour as ‘unique in world sport’ and called for it to be ‘treasured’ and ‘protected’.

The Auckland-based paper was eloquent in its review after the Third Test,

“Come next week it won’t be the score line that will be remembered but the camaraderie between rival fans and the friendships that’ll last a lifetime… They may not have won the test Series, but Lions fans have forever won the heart of New Zealand.”

Lions fans, whether they followed the Tour or just came out for a week, were recipients of a rugby and travel experience like no other. From fantastic events, excursions, Lions Legends and much more, they were treated to moments that will live long in the memory on rugby’s greatest Tour.

Special events were put on on the eve of each Test Match, where a buzzing crowd of 5,500 Lions fans flooded in to enjoy entertainment, music, food and drink. Former Lion Andy Nicol was the official MC and did a fantastic job in hosting, welcoming more than 20 former Lions and celebrities for the perfect Test Match build up.

The atmosphere during the Tour was electrifying, like being part of a big family of 30,000 people. The vocal travelling support, who had been growing in numbers throughout the Tour, played a major part in making the entire trip a huge success. While the players

became heroes on the pitch, Tour Manager John Spencer paid tribute to those who had given them such incredible backing from the stands up and down the country,

“The fans were absolutely fantastic, all 30,000 of them. We’ve had absolutely brilliant support from people from clubs in all four countries, small and large. It is what the whole concept and creed of the Lions is all about. It has been absolutely immense. This Tour has been so special for us all and I’m confident it will leave a legacy for future generations.”

One supporter left us with this,

‘Our dreams have been realised, our memories will be cherished forever. Sitting in the Cake Tin amongst the Red Army and witnessing the team win on NZ soil against the double World Champions is an experience only a few will ever have a privilege of having’.

It seems too good to be true that in 2021 we will again see the Lions take on the reigning World Champions, and there will be a record to set straight after 2009. If New Zealand is anything to go by, and it most probably is, then we are set for an absolutely incredible Tour of epic proportions. What better way to get fully immersed in the action as being there live in South Africa?



imagined. I remember coming out of the lift and you could just hear, ‘Lions! Lions!’ and you could see a Sea of Red just in front of you.

“You would go out for a coffee and look out to the street and it was as if the Lions support-ers had completely dominated the city. The support that I experienced during the Lions Tour was second to none. It was like nothing I have ever experienced before.”

That was New Zealand. Next time around the players will need the Sea of Red more than ever and the South Africa 2021 Tour is the chance for every Lions fan to play their part in showing the rugby world that the Lions mean business.

Despite being the youngest member of the 2017 touring party, Maro Itoje fully embraced Lions culture on and off the field. He told us his memories of being inspired by the Lions and what it means to him to now be amongst that very special group of players to have worn the famous red jersey,

“One of the most memorable times when I was captivated as a rugby fan was the 2009 Lions Tour. I just thought it was amazing how the four nations came together, the amount of desire the players had and the passion that they showed on the pitch. Seeing Ugo Monye score that try, celebrating with his arms wide open was such a special moment for me. Since then the Lions has held a very special place in my heart.”

To hear Maro referring to his Lions memories as a young player and then see him take to the field in New Zealand is inspiring to any young rugby fan. It is clear that he appreciates what an honour it is to represent the Lions and the responsibility that comes with that honour,

“There’s so much history embedded within the Lions jersey; you’re representing so many people. I thought that I had a lot of support when I played for England, and you genuinely do, but the intensity of the support you have when you play for the Lions is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. People go crazy for it and it’s a special experience.

“It means a lot that so many people make the sacrifice to come and see us play. They care about what we do, the jersey and the history behind the Lions, so to have the support of all those people is truly phenomenal.”

Maro described the support of the tens of thousands of Lions fans as “instrumental” in giving the players “an extra arm and a leg and extra motivation when times are tough in the game”.

THE INTENSITY OF THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU PLAY FOR THE LIONS IS LIKE NOTHING I’VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.

I REMEMBER COMING OUT OF THE LIFT AND YOU COULD JUST HEAR, ‘LIONS! LIONS!’ AND YOU COULD SEE A SEA OF RED JUST IN FRONT OF YOU.

For any rugby fan who joined in with the “Oh Maro Itoje” chants back in 2017 (and I’m sure that’s the majority of us), you’ll be glad to learn that the passion in that support made a significant impact on Maro and the other players’ Lions experience,

“For the First Test we had a corner of the hotel cornered off for us, and there was a part of it which you had to walk from the lift to our private section of the hotel, and I remember a day or two before the test the whole hotel was filled with Lions fans like you couldn’t have MARO

ITOJE#825

LIONS! LIONS!


EXPLORING THE

RAINBOWNATIONAward-winning travel journalist Chris Leadbetter gives us his in-depth view of travel in South Africa.

RELATED LIONS MATCHES: DHL Stormers (July 3 2021); Second Test (July 31 2021).

While the result of the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final produced a range of mixed emotions across the British Isles, there is one thing on which lovers of rugby can agree – that the home of the now three-time World Champions is also a world-class destination befitting the team’s elevated status. Quite simply, South Africa is a place which demands to be explored. And while eyes will mainly be focused on the pitch when the British & Irish Lions Tour rumbles across the landscape in 2021 (July 3-August 7), the majority of the travellers who fly down to watch the action will also want to see plenty of the country around them.

Happily, they will find that there is an enormous amount to see. Cape Town (where the Second Test will be staged on July 31) will – naturally – be towards the top of most visitors’ “must-experience” lists. And with good reason. South Africa’s most famous dot on the map is one of the planet’s most photogenic cities – easily the equal of Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Hong Kong in the splendour of its skyline. Table Mountain, the magnificent flat-topped backdrop to the scene, is the star of this show, but there is a widespread beauty to the way Cape Town slopes down to the shoreline – whether amid the shops and restaurants of the revitalised Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, or on the beach at Camps Bay.

Of course, there is far more to South Africa than its most celebrated metropolis. Each of the country’s major cities is deserving of tourists’ attention. Johannesburg (which will host the First and Third Tests on July 24 and August 7 respectively) is an urban colossus, and is no longer a place to prompt the safety concerns of perhaps 30 years ago. It dissects the fear and darkness of South Africa’s segregated 20th century in the exhibits of the Apartheid Museum, but it also stands as remarkable destination in the 21st, with first-rate shops, a busy bar scene and – in the case of the 50-storey Carlton Centre – spectacular views from the “Top Of Africa” observation deck. You can’t see quite as far as Pretoria, but the national capital is just a 35-mile drive north and is also well worth visiting. The Lions will certainly be there – on July 17, for a collision with Super Rugby side the Vodacom Bulls.

One thing that neither “Jo’burg” nor Pretoria can offer is seafront. But there is adequate compensation on this score in Port Elizabeth, where the Indian Ocean nuzzles the likes of Hobie, Humewood and Kings Beaches. The Lions will set up camp here on July 7 for a warm-up showdown against a South Africa “Invitational” XV, at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. And there will be a similar combination of scrums and sand in Durban on

July 10, when Warren Gatland’s men face fierce opposition in local outfit the Cell C Sharks, at the Jonsson Kings Park Stadium. While this is likely to be a stern test, there will be a time and a place for relaxation after the whistle. The most popular section of the city’s shoreline is known (aptly) as the “Golden Mile”. Travellers of a more energetic disposition can take to the water here to try what are considered some of the best surfing conditions in Africa.

Crucially, there is also a South Africa to enjoy outside its big conurbations. Mbombela, formally Nelspruit, the capital of Mpumalanga province, will also witness a Lions fixture (against South Africa “A” on July 14). But the city is perhaps best known for being a gateway to Kruger National Park, the giant enclave of snarling, roaring animals in the north-east corner of the country, where visitors can barely fail to spot each of the “Big Five” (Cape buffalo, lion, leopard, African elephant, black rhinoceros). If this is not enough, there are adventures of a more placid nature to be found in the winelands of Stellenbosch, or along the south-west coast, where the Garden Route is surely the continent’s greatest road trip, while down-time awaits in Sun City, the celebrated casino-resort in North West Province.

Chris Leadbeater is an award-winning travel journalist who has written for publications including the Telegraph, the Independent and National Geographic Traveller across the course of almost 20 years.

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Cape Town may not be South Africa’s administrative capital (that’s Pretoria), or its biggest urban area (Johannesburg, by quite a way), but it makes an impact on visitors that lingers long after the flight home has landed.

The city will stage one of the three Tests on the 2021 British & Irish Lions Tour (plus a warm-up fixture against local side the DHL Stormers) – it will also be the corner of South Africa that travelling supporters are most intent on seeing. And they will certainly see a lot of it if they clamber up its most obvious landmark. At 1,084m (3,461ft) high, Table Mountain is hardly a small hill. But its flat summit is easier to reach than it appears – either via the various trails which wind up through what is a national park (the hike takes about two hours at a reasonable pace), or, simpler still, on the cable car that conveys tourists to the top in five minutes – without any expense in sweat or shoe leather.

Apart from on days when the clouds have rolled in low, the view from the summit takes in Robben Island, which lies seven miles north of the city in Table Bay. This wild outcrop was, of course, Nelson Mandela’s prison for 18 of the 27 years he was incarcerated by South Africa’s

former Apartheid regime. Its eerie jail is now preserved as a UNESCO-listed historic site – and can be glimpsed via half-day trips which include two half-hour boat rides. Ferries cast off from the city’s main harbour area, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

If Robben Island is eternally tied to a darker time in Cape Town’s past, the V&A is part of a rather brighter present. Heavily redeveloped in the last 20 years, it is now one of the liveliest areas of the city – a complex of over 450 shops, cafes and restaurants, awash with locals and visitors alike. Happily, it is also still a function-ing harbour. Fishing boats and container ships still moor up on its dockside as Capetonians go about their weekends.

But then, Cape Town is a city where you can fall into step with local life with ease – whether amid the many paintings of the South African National Gallery on Government Street, or in the cool bars lined up along Longmarket and Shortmarket Streets. And if any of this sounds too busy, you can always escape to the beach – the soft sands of Camps Bay, on the west flank of the conurbation, are a mere 20-minute, five-mile taxi ride away.

It is no exaggeration to say that, when it comes to first impressions and visual wow-factor, Cape Town can compete with any city on the planet. Rio de Janeiro? Absolutely. San Francisco? Indeed. Sydney? That too. With the Atlantic sparkling on two sides, and Table Mountain performing a grand rearguard action on a third, here is a metropolis which catches the eye as soon as you arrive.

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South Africa’s most famous (and most photogenic) city.

Table Mountain, Robben Island, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

CAPE TOWN

RELATED LIONS MATCHES: DHL Stormers (July 3 2021); Second Test (July 31 2021).


JOHANNESBURG While it will surely be Cape Town and its mountainous backdrop which most captures visitors’ imaginations as the 2021 British & Irish Lions Tour rolls across South Africa, it will be Johannesburg where most of the key sporting action takes place. The country’s largest city – home to a population of nine million people – will stage two of the three Tests against the World Champions.

The First Test will scrum down at the First National Bank Stadium – the football arena, on the outskirts of Soweto, affectionately known as “The Calabash”; the Third and concluding Test will see battle-lines drawn at Emirates Airline Park, the spiritual home of South African rugby, where the Springboks triumphed on home soil at the 1995 World Cup. Lions fans will hope that the latter match will be the scene of a Series-clinching victory – if Cape Town hasn’t already had this honour in the Second Test.

The upshot, of course, is that travelling supporters will spend a good deal of time in this giant metropolis – a happy consequence, as Johannesburg provides a snapshot of South African life that is arguably unrivalled elsewhere. Admittedly, it does not always do so through the brightest of lens. Opened in 2001, the Apartheid Museum gazes back at the system of racial segregation which held the country in its grip during the second half of the 20th century. Obviously, this makes for uncomfortable viewing, but the museum is as essential and unmissable a part of the “Jo’burg” experience as a visit to Soweto – the township on the south-west side of the conurbation, where the little house on Vilakazi Street where

Nelson Mandela lived from 1946 to 1962 is open to the public as a museum.

That said, there is a lot more to Johan-nesburg than the most notorious chapter in South Africa’s past. The South African National Museum of Military History analyses conflicts as varied as the Boer War and the Second World War. Johannesburg Art Gallery is the largest such museum on the continent, packed with works by African and European artists. And the Origins Centre pulls the South African story back far beyond the last 100 years, displaying examples of rock art that shine a light on humankind’s earliest footsteps.

Outside the museums, you can indulge your shopping urges in the malls of Rosebank and Sandton, while there are excellent restaurants in Parkhurst and Parkview – and there is a lively bar scene on Seventh Street in Melville. And if you want to peer down at all of it from an elevated perspective, a ride to the roof of the Carlton Centre is a must. This 50-storey behemoth of a building rises to a height of 223m (732ft) in the Central Business District (CBD). Its uppermost floor, marketed as the “Top Of Africa”, deals in epic views.

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South Africa’s biggest city – and the centre point of the 2021 Lions Tour.

The Apartheid Museum, Soweto, the Carlton Centre.

First Test (July 24 2021); Third Test (August 7 2021).


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South Africa’s oldest and most famous national park, alive with wildlife.

The Big Five. Although you can hardly fail to spot them.

RELATED LIONS MATCHES: South Africa “A” (Mbombela; July 14 2021)

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

It is difficult, when you first drive through one of its nine gates, to have an immediate appreciation of just how large Kruger National Park is. Pinned into the north-east corner of South Africa (so closely that it rubs shoulders with Mozambique, and the adjacent wildlife zone of Limpopo National Park, over the border), this vast expanse of grassland and savannah is all but a country within a country.

In fact, if it were a country, it would rank as the 151st biggest on the planet – its 7,523 square miles making it just smaller than Slovenia, but bigger than each of Fiji, Kuwait and Montenegro. It is also bigger than Eswatini (the former Swaziland) – the country that sits (almost) on its southern boundary.

But this does not mean that it is impossible to get a taste of Kruger in a couple of days. True, it would take a week, maybe a fortnight, to explore it fully – but you can still take its temperature in a visit of just 24 or 48 hours. This is because – as home to a wealth of animals of various spots, stripes and shapes – the park offers a constant swirl of wildlife encounters. Even the shortest of game drives is a certain feast for the camera. If you want to see (as the old saying goes) “nature red in tooth and claw”, Kruger will not disappoint.

For many visitors, this means the “Big Five” – the quintet of key beasts that crops up on so many travel bucket lists. Kruger has them all – some 2,000 lions, more than 500 black rhinoceros, around 17,000 elephants, close to 40,000 cape buffalo, somewhere near 1,000 leopards. The latter tend to be hardest to see, as they hunt at night, spending the daytime

sleeping off their endeavours and dinners on the high branches of trees. But even so, you can expect to catch a glimpse during a sunset drive – and guides are trained to spot them.

Of course, there is more to Kruger’s wildlife line-up than the Big Five. Other significant residents of the park include zebras, impalas, giraffes, warthogs and antelopes. Cheetahs – a glorious sight when they are running at full pace – sprint across clearings hard on the tail of their prey. Hyenas stalk in once the kill is made, determined to plunder the carcass. Some predators are less obvious in their hunter-gathering tactics – kudu dip their heads warily when they go to take a drink on the bank of the Crocodile River (which forms the southern boundary of the park) – for reasons that should be wholly obvious from the name. Other creatures are more elusive still. You may be fortunate enough to see the African wild dog – a scruffy species that, although sadly endangered, is present at Kruger.

But whatever you see, the Kruger experience is much the same as day’s end nears – a drink clutched in your hand as the sunset bathes the park in a soft glow. A kind of magic.


And yet, curiously, for something so celebrated, the Garden Route does not have an exact defi-nition. Some sources state that it runs between the seafront hotspots of Mossel Bay and Storms River – a distance of some 130 miles; others that it begins further west in Witsand, making for an odyssey of 200 miles. In truth, it doesn’t really matter. If you are planning to drive it, you are likely to set off from Cape Town – which sits 175 miles west of Witsand; 240 miles west of Mossel Bay. And the effect is much the same wherever you decide the road trip has begun, with small towns dotting the shoreline, and the vegetation-clad mountains of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma ranges displaying their muscles inland.

In fact, the key Garden Route question is not “where?” but “how long?” You could easily sprint along it in two days; you could spend a week savouring its every curve. There are more than enough stops along the way to keep you enthralled. Mossel Bay is a pretty port with

fishing boats moored in its harbour; Knysna is more of the same, but smaller, with the Knysna Lagoon supplying an extra element of water, and the Knysna River pouring its soul into the ocean. George is something of a hotspot, with stunning restaurants, where you might defi-nitely halt for an hour or two; Plettenberg Bay is another estuary town, where the Keurbooms River reaches the end of the line, and Birds of Eden (the world’s biggest “free-flight” aviary) offers bright glimpses of flamingos and parrots.

It also makes sense to continue east to Port Elizabeth – which, although not officially part of the Garden Route, is a logical conclusion to the journey. The largest city in the Eastern Cape waits 100 miles further east of Storms River. Its shore (notably Humewood, Hobie and Kings Beaches) is a great place to relax – either before or after the Lions play their warm-up against a South Africa “Invitational” XV (at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium).

THE GARDEN ROUTE

Many of the planet’s most fabled road trips involve a ribbon of tarmac twisting and turning on the edge of the sea. Highway 1 in California does; so does the Great Ocean Road in Australia. And the Garden Route is certainly part of the club. Despite its name – which suggests hedgerows and orchards – this epic journey through the Western and Eastern Capes is all about the coastline; the Indian Ocean sparkling on one side of the car.

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RELATED LIONS MATCHES: RELATED LIONS MATCHES:

(South) Africa’s greatest road trip – 200 miles along the Indian Ocean.

One of the heartlands of South Africa’s wine industry, close to Cape Town.

Lovely waterfront towns like Mossel Bay, George and Knysna.

The local wineries – the majority are open for tours.

South Africa “Invitational” XV (July 7 2021) – Port Elizabeth.

DHL Stormers (July 3 2021); Second Test (July 31 2021) – both in Cape Town

If the name “Stellenbosch” sounds familiar, then, well, it should. The wines which are produced as a result of its fertile soil and Mediterranean-esque climate have long made the town (along with its neighbours in the “Cape Winelands”, Paarl and Franschhoek) a staple on British supermarket shelves.

But if a glass of South African Cabernet Sau-vignon tastes good once it has caught a flight all the way to the UK, it slips down all the better

in its birthplace – amid vineyards that spread out in all directions, and with expert vintners on hand to guide you through the process.

The majority of wineries in the Stellenbosch area (including Simonsig, Beyerskloof, Jordan Wine Estate, Hartenberg and J.C Le Roux) are open for tours and tastings – while the prettiness of the setting, with Stellenbosch Mountain rising to a height of 1,156m (3,793m) above, only adds to the enjoyment factor.

THE WINELANDS It takes a drive of barely an hour to swap Cape Town for Stellenbosch – the Western Cape town which sits just 30 miles to the east, on the banks of the Eerste River. But it can feel like you have completed a journey of several days, so big is the difference in atmosphere between a city of four million souls and a place that takes life at a distinctly slower speed.


But this is rather the point. Any Lions fans seeking a change of pace, either before or after the main Tour, will certainly find it here. Sun City has long been a hotspot for rest and relaxation – although, if the mood takes you, you can also enjoy a sporting fix of a less physical sort by taking to one of its two 18-hole golf courses. Both are commendably challenging – as you would expect of a series of fairways and greens that were designed by the South African golf icon Gary Player. And if chancing your luck on a four-iron down the fifth is not your

SUN CITY & PILANESBERG

Any visit to this intriguing double-act of attractions is unlikely to involve much rugby action. While neither Sun City nor Pilanesberg National Park sits too far from either Pretoria (90 miles) or Johannesburg (110 miles) – in the upper reaches of South Africa, in North West Province – neither site is overly obsessed with a tricky bounce of the ball, or a fumbled knock-on. These are places where the focus is on switching off and tuning out.

particular sort of thrill, an evening at the resort casino might be.

Then again, a different type of excitement awaits immediately to the north. Pilanesberg National Park is another of South Africa’s great animal-spotting locations. The game reserve within it is home to the “Big Five” (Cape buffalo, lion, leopard, African elephant, black rhinoceros) – as well as myriad zebra, hippo, gi-raffe, crocodile and antelope. Regular sightings are guaranteed. But is it also worth lifting an

eye to the landscape – which is among the most remarkable places on the African continent. Pilanesberg’s concentric rings of mountainous ridges are the remains of a mega-volcano which erupted some 1,200 million years ago. It was also a cradle of civilisation – the National Park contains archaeological sites that date to man’s early footsteps in the Stone and Iron Ages.

But if the name is a relative newcomer, then the reasons to visit the city are not. Mbombela is mostly seen by travellers as a gateway to Kruger National Park, on whose south-western doorstep it sits – and most of the visitors who pass through it continue on into South Africa’s most eulogised enclave of lions and leopards, crocodiles and cheetahs.

And yet, there is more to Mbombela and the area around it than an instant dash for the safari vehicle. Directly north of the city, Lowveld Botanical Gardens are a labyrinth of walks and waterfalls - while the Riverside Mall is a playground for 21st century shopping.

Most unmissable, however, is Blyde River Canyon (also known as Motlatse Canyon). Part of the Drakensberg Escarpment of mountains, this great gulf in the ground is a definite reason to reach for your camera. If not quite a Grand Canyon in scale (it is 16 miles long and around 750m (2,460ft) deep), it has a geographical magnificence that can leave the observer whistling in admiration. The main stars of the show are the “Three Rondavels” (also known as the “Three Sisters”); a trio of rounded, grass-covered peaks whose name raises its hat to the circular shape of the traditional Mpumalanga homestead.

MBOMBELAFORMALLY NELSPRUIT

If the word “Mbombela” is not immediately familiar, that may be because – in terms of the map of South Africa – it is rela-tively new. The capital of north-easterly Mpumalanga province has only worn its current identity for a decade. Between its birth in 1895 (as a cattle-ranching outpost, and later as a key railway town) and its re-christening in 2009, it was (maybe better-) known as “Nelspruit” (after 19th century beef barons, the Nel family).

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A famous South African luxury resort – with wildlife on its doorstep.

The happy combination of sunny relaxation and snarling wildlife.

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One of South Africa’s smaller cities – a gateway to Kruger National Park.

Blyde River Canyon and the “Three Rondavels”.

South Africa “A” (July 14 2021)


DURBAN There is always something appealing about a city that has its face turned permanently towards the sea. Durban is just such a city. Although it is ranked as South Africa’s third biggest, it is little more than a third of the size of Johannesburg in terms of population (3.7 million inhabitants compared to 9.2 million) – and has more of a small-town feel as a con-sequence. Moreover, on any given day, you will find plenty of the locals on the beach.

But Pretoria is a more interesting place than people assume. It is certainly bigger than you think – South Africa’s fourth largest city, home to 2.5 million residents.

This means it is big enough to sustain a Super Rugby team (the Vodacom Bulls) – and diverse enough to entertain visitors who make the short 35-mile journey north from Johannesburg. There are first-rate museums – Pretoria Art Museum has a fine collection

In part, this is due to the climate. Durban lies far further north than its coastal colleagues Cape Town and Port Elizabeth – and even in July, the middle of South Africa’s winter, you can expect temperatures of around 22ºC. This ready warmth sends people dashing to the Golden Mile – the string of beaches laid out where Downtown meets the Indian Ocean. Many of them go holding surfboards – as the waves are as reliable as the weather.

PRETORIA

of South African art; the National Cultural History Museum traces the country’s tale back to the Iron Age. There is history – the huge Voortrekker Monument recalls the city’s 19th century founders.

There are spaces for hiking and biking – such as Groenkloof Nature Reserve. And there is a lively, youthful vibe in the bars and restaurants of Hatfield - thanks to the city’s big university population, certainly making it worth a visit.

Not that there is nothing more to Durban than its waterfront. Its Botanic Gardens, opened as long ago as 1849, showcase some of the plant-life which thrives in the city’s sub-tropical context – while there are plenty of excellent restaurants (Durban’s sizeable Indian demographic ensures that curry is a popular dish). And if you do not fancy tackling the ocean on a board, the vast Gateway Theatre shopping centre has an artificial “wavepark”. IN A NUTSHELL:

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South Africa’s third biggest city, gleaming on the ocean in KwaZulu-Natal.

The beaches of the “Golden Mile”.

Cell C Sharks (July 10 2021)

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South Africa’s capital city – and something of a travel secret.

An excellent range of art galleries and museums; the busy nightlife scene.

Vodacom Bulls (July 17 2021)

There can be a tendency to regard smaller cities which act as national capitals in spite of their size as dry, bureaucratic dots on the map, only concerned with government business in grand office buildings. Canberra has this problem in Australia; Brasilia in Brazil. Pretoria suffers the same fate. It is an image problem. Why would you visit a place that is only interested in work when you are away on your holiday and only want to play?



Back in the ‘70s, when the vast majority of Lions support came from ex-pats or people that were already travelling in the host country, fan numbers were relatively small in comparison to modern day tours. Sir Ian McGeechan, to many the Lions Lion, has played and coached the Lions over a remarkable six tours: a period that encompassed a dramatic growth of the game’s popularity for travelling fans. For all his memories and stories from Lions tours it is those fans that provide some of the most enduring memories,

“The first time I really noticed the impact of the fans hit me was in the ‘89 Tour to Australia, when we won the Third Test in Sydney. We were going to the official dinner after the game and the whole foyer and all the stairs leading away in the hotel were red. It was all Lions fans. There might have been 300-400 people and it was the first time I had walked into a hotel and had applause like that, and I remember feeling quite embarrassed but suddenly thinking, ‘wow, this is a bit different’.

In reality, the ’89 Tour merely hinted at the level of support that later Tours would enjoy,

“Then in ‘97 it was almost the perfect storm, as in South Africa there’s no time difference so people were flying out and you’d hear stories of people booking a ticket on a Friday to watch the Test Match, to fly back home Sunday, to be in work again Monday morning. That’s something that’s grown in the professional era. Now you have 30,000-plus people that are prepared to go to the other side of the world to watch a rugby team play. Nobody else does that.”

Fast forward to South Africa 2021 and the opportunities and desire to travel with the Lions have only increased. The Sea of Red may

need re-christening as an ‘ocean’. Geech would be delighted to see as many travelling Lions fans as possible,

“The impact of the fans being on Tour, over the last 25 years in particular, flying down there in person, having the red wall; players have never experienced anything like that. It’s so unique for the players to know that the fans wear the jerseys with such pride, and it brings the best out of players and coaches by creating an environment that you know you’re actually a part of. Those players going over to South Africa will never underestimate you as a fan, coming out there as part of the Sea of Red. They see that and recognise that relationship between the players, the team, the badge, and you, the supporters”.

The camaraderie between supporters not only helps the players, it also creates unique bonds between people that otherwise might never have happened. Sir Ian recalls one such story,

“Sometimes you just don’t know the impact that the Lions has on supporters until you hear some of the personal stories. After the 2009 Tour, I did a charity evening for a children’s charity, so it was open to everyone; Wasps people, Saracens people, general people came. At the end of the evening an elderly lady came

THOSE PLAYERS GOING OVER TO SOUTH AFRICA WILL NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOU AS A FAN, COMING OUT THERE AS PART OF THE SEA OF RED.

NOW YOU HAVE 30,000-PLUS PEOPLE THAT ARE PREPARED TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD TO WATCH A RUGBY TEAM PLAY. NOBODY ELSE DOES THAT.

up to me, a Saracens supporter actually, and she just said, “Thank you, I just want to thank you for what you’ve done”. I just thought she meant the evening, so I was looking quizzically at her and she said, “No, I was on the Tour. My husband and I had saved up for four years. We’d retired and saved up because we always wanted to go on a Lions Tour, so we saved up to go to South Africa. Unfortunately, in February my husband died, but my family persuaded me to still go on the Tour, because he would have wanted it and they always knew I wanted to do it.” She said, “I bought two Lions jerseys, so I always had a spare and when I got there, it was unbelievable: I was never alone. Whenever I had that jersey on, whether it was a Scotsman, an Irishman, a Welshman or an Englishman, it didn’t matter. I felt a part of something. I was looked after and there was not one minute on that Tour that I ever felt alone. Thank you.”

As Geech recounts the story it still brings a tear to his eye, 10 years after the event. It’s deeply personal but also highly symbolic of the unique experience and group of people that define being part of the Sea of Red. And it’s a story that is hard to imagine could be repeated anywhere other than on a Lions Tour.

NOBODY ELSE DOES THAT

SIR IANMCGEECHAN

#5097 1 | tour with us. the lions.


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