A tour too far - Players exploited and vulnerable

AT some point today, 41 Lions players will wake up in the Land of the Long White Cloud — home of the most vibrant, powerful rugby culture in the world.

Some of those sleepy players might be forgiven for wondering where they are, or more pointedly, why they are where they are.

Some of them brought the curtain down on their domestic seasons just hours ago — about 72 — so preparation has been scant, a reality that seems reckless.