The British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa takes place this summer, with the squad set to be announced at the start of May. The series kicks off in July, and we have all the info you need on the Lions Tour games for 2021.
Where will the Lions tour take place?
The Lions alternate between touring New Zealand, Australia and South Africa every four years. This year they will tour South Africa, having most recently played in New Zealand in 2017.
Who will the Lions play on the tour?
The Lions will have one warm up game in Scotland against Japan before jetting off to South Africa. When they land there, they will play five touring games against regional teams, before a three-game test series against the South African national team, the Springboks.
What are the dates for the Lions games on the tour?
The first of the Lions games will take place on the 26th of June against Japan at Murrayfield. The first game of the tour will be against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg on the 3rd of July. The all-important test series will take place on three consecutive Saturdays from the 24th of July to the 7th of August.
Who will be playing for the Lions on tour?
Former Ireland and Wales coach Warren Gatland is taking charge of his third consecutive Lions tour this summer, having guided them to victory in Australia in 2013 and a tied series in New Zealand in 2017. He named his squad for the tour on May 6.
Alun-Wyn Jones had been named the 2021 Lions captain, for what would have been his fourth tour - but injury in the opening game led to him staying at home, with the captaincy passed on to Ireland's Conor Murray.
Despite their poor Six Nations showing, England still have the most players in the squad with 11, with Six Nations champions Wales just behind on ten. Scotland have their best representation in years, with eight players in the squad.
Gatland selected eight Irish players, with Robbie Henshaw, Conor Murray, and Tadhg Furlong all in contention to be in the starting XV for the test series against the Springboks. Leinster's Jack Conan, Munster's Tadhg Beirne, Ulster's Iain Henderson, and Connacht's Bundee Aki are all making the journey to South Africa, while Andrew Porter pulled out through injury before the tour got underway.
SEE ALSO: Ex-Scotland Winger Still Sour About Not Being Selected By Warren Gatland
