British & Irish Lions: FNB Stadium to host TWO Tests in Springboks series?

In order to maximise the number of spectators allowed it appears that the FNB Stadium will host both highveld Tests between the Springboks and the touring British & Irish Lions later this year.

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Recently it was reported by The South African website that all eight scheduled matches on the British & Irish Lions’ 2021 tour would be held in just two cities – Cape Town and Johannesburg.

That would mean Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), Durban, Nelspruit and even potentially Pretoria were likely to lose out on hosting matches.

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The tour schedule – which has still not been confirmed just nine weeks and four days from the opening match – is expected to now start in Cape Town with as many as three matches (including the opening Test), followed by five matches (and two Tests) in Gauteng.

With British & Irish Lions fans reportedly banned from travelling to South Africa to attend matches, in order to captalise on as many tickets sales to locals as possible, it is expected the 95 000-capacty FNB Stadium will play host to both the second and third, even if the venue is only half or two-thirds full, according to the Daily Mail.

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FNB Stadium was originally scheduled to host one of the Tests with Ellis Park the other.

The 2021 British & Irish Lions tour was meant to have delivered a massive – and much needed – financial boost to SA Rugby’s coffers, but instead at this stage the governing body in the country is desperately seeking any return on having the combined side visit Mzansi. 

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SA Rugby lost out on hosting the lucrative 2023 Rugby World Cup to France and the Springboks haven’t played a singe Test since winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup on 2 November – nearly 18 months ago!

In the interim they have had to rely on SA franchises playing each other – over and over – in the Super Rugby Unlocked, Currie Cup and Kick-Off Preparation series matches.

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All the while, rivals the All Blacks, Australia and Argentina played in the Tri-Nations while Super Rugby AU and Aotearoa have proven to be tremendous successes.

The Six Nations was also contested earlier this year giving the British & Irish Lions a definite head-start on their Springbok foes.

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