Lions tour change would be ‘biggest disappointment in Springbok history’

South Africa winger Dillyn Leyds said staging this year’s British & Irish Lions tour in Australia rather than on home ground “would be the biggest disappointment” in the Springboks’ history.

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Earlier this week Rugby Australia offered to host the eight matches scheduled between July 3 to August 7 as South Africa’s Covid-19 cases ballooned to more than 1.4 million, with almost 45 000 deaths.

“I would go as far as saying it would be the biggest disappointment in South African rugby history probably,” Leyds said.

“If you put it into perspective. It’s the defending World Cup champions against the best the British and Irish have to offer. It’s a mouthwatering encounter,” he added.

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Dillyn Leyds, 28, won the last of his 10 caps in 2019 and is eyeing an international return this year.

“The dream of wearing the Springboks jersey will never stop. As a little kid, growing up in South Africa, playing rugby, I don’t think there’s one person that would say they don’t want to play for the Springboks,” he said.

“There’s a bit of doubt over the Lions series, but it’s something I’m pushing hard for,” he added.

Leyds joined French club La Rochelle this season after featuring for Western Province and the Stormers.

His coach on the Atlantic coast is former Ireland flyhalf Ronan O’Gara, who went on three Lions tours and conceded the winning penalty in the second Test of the 2009 tour against the Springboks.

“I haven’t spoken to him about it. He’s gotten a bit too much stick for that over the years so I don’t think I’ll bring it up with him,” he said.

“Although one of the boys has mentioned it before. We had a quick laugh, but just a quick one, you don’t want to laugh too long about it because it might put your place in the team in jeopardy!”

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