Venues announced for 2013 Lions Tour
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) confirmed the schedule last night for the tour, which will be the representative team’s first visit since their 2-1 series defeat to the Wallabies in 2001.
The Lions will play six tour matches in addition to the three Tests. The first Test takes place at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on June 22 followed by the second Test at Etihad Stadium on June 29.
The tour concludes at ANZ Stadium on July 6.
Lions team manager Andy Irvine is currently assessing the options in terms of a head coach and is likely to make an appointment in April following the Six Nations. Irvine said: “We are reviewing a number of potential coaches just now. We want to see how the Six Nations goes and the decision will almost certainly be in April. It’s fair to say it’s the single biggest appointment we are going to make so it’s a massive objective. We will be looking very closely and we will be looking even more closely at the Six Nations, for obvious reasons.”
However, any national coach would have to step down from their role for a year to take the post.
Irvine insists it would be impossible to combine two roles and any candidate would have to be available from at least the Autumn Series.
The former Scotland and Lions full back said: “The head coach would have to be free from international duties in the Six Nations for that year in order to look at players in international matches. You couldn’t possibly do the job properly. He would have to be completely unencumbered for at least the autumn series onwards. You want someone to devote 100% of his time to the Lions tour. Certainly as head coach and probably part of the management team as well. It’s easy to be part of the management team; it’s the head coach that’s the difficult one because that’s the one who would need to take a year out from their national duties. But what I’ve been told is it’s likely all three (Declan Kidney, Warren Gatland and Andy Robinson) will be available for the whole tour if required.”
Wednesday, June 5: Lions v Western Force, Perth.
Saturday, June 8: Lions v Queensland Reds, Brisbane.
Wednesday, June 12: Lions v Combined NSW-Queensland Country, Newcastle.
Saturday, June 15: Lions v Waratahs, Sydney.
Tuesday, June 18: Lions v Brumbies, Canberra.
Saturday, June 22: Lions v Australia, Brisbane.
Tuesday, June 25: Lions v Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne.
Saturday, June 29: Lions v Australia, Melbourne.
Saturday, July 6: Lions v Australia, Sydney.
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