Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, there were calls for the tour to be called off, and in the event that it does, SA Rugby is believed to be insured for R500 million.

There is however a possibility of the tour being postponed by a few months, but for now, it will go ahead.

SA Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux, says that a Lions tour is second only to the World Cup.

“I could talk about the British & Irish Lions for a really long time, but the most important thing is that the tour is going on.

“There might be a date change, but we are able to manage that.

“On the tour itself, second to the World Cup it probably the biggest thing that there is.

“I know that most of you can’t wait for it to come here. It only happens every twelve years and it is going to be magnificent.

“The commercial model that we've put up as a joint venture between us and the British & Irish Lions is pretty out there," he said.

“We have thrown away the textbook and it's a completely different model that is a sharing of revenue. It is a sharing of logos, a sharing of IP and commercial value.

“It is something that in a post-Covid world will come in handy in terms of the revenues that it will generate for us and help us to operate.”

The last time the Lions tour South Africa was in 2009 when the Springboks won the three-Test series 2-1.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport