Robertson keen on British and Irish Lions role ahead of SA tour

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson says he is willing to lend a hand to the British and Irish Lions, who tour South Africa in 2021.

The Super Rugby winner was shortlisted for the All Blacks job, which was vacated by Steve Hansen after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

The Kiwi connection 

He revealed to Country Sport Breakfast on Gold AM the has approached countryman Warren Gatland – the Lions head coach – about possibly joining the team on tour.

“Once I missed the All Blacks job I actually reached out to Gats and asked him if I could go on that tour,” Robertson said.

“I thought, ‘look if I can’t be involved with the All Blacks, what’s the biggest thing – or actually bigger in its own self, the Lions tour – to get involved’.

“I said ‘look, I would love to help you if I can’. “I’m waiting. We’ll see what happens. But we had a couple of good conversations since and he’s got to go through his line of management to make a decision.”

Scott Robertson, Crusaders coach

Robertson has had international coaching experience at junior level, guiding the Junior All Blacks to the world title in 2015.

He was appointed Crusaders coach in 2017, and tasted immediate success, guiding them to the Super Rugby title that year before repeating the feat two more times.

The former All Blacks loose forward recently clinched the inaugural Super Rugby Aotearoa title earlier in the month.

British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa schedule 

MATCH DATE	MATCH	LOCATION	STADIUM
03 July 2021	DHL Stormers v British & Irish Lions	Cape Town	Cape Town Stadium
07 July 2021	South Africa ‘Invitational’ v British & Irish Lions	Port Elizabeth	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
10 July 2021	Cell C Sharks  v British & Irish Lions	Durban	Jonsson Kings Park
14 July 2021	South Africa ‘A’ v British & Irish Lions	Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit	Mbombela Stadium
17 July 2021	Vodacom Bulls v British & Irish Lions	Pretoria	Loftus Versfeld
24 July 2021	Springboks v British & Irish Lions	Johannesburg	FNB Stadium
31 July 2021	Springboks v British & Irish Lions	Cape Town	Cape Town Stadium
07 August 2021	Springboks v British & Irish Lions	Johannesburg	Emirates Airline Park