McGeechan: tour will be more difficult than ’97

LIONS coach Ian McGeechan claims playing in South Africa always inspired him to raise his game and he now wants his squad to feel the same way as they begin their 10-match tour of the country.

The Lions arrived in South Africa yesterday for the first time in 12 years and play their first game against a Royal XV in Rustenburg on Saturday, with the highlight of the trip the three Test matches against the world champions in June and July.

The tour is McGeechan’s third to South Africa – he was also in charge of the side in 1997 and toured as a player in 1974 – and he reckons playing against the Springboks is motivation in itself for the players.