The British and Irish Lions tour Australia in June-July 2013…
Australian Rugby Union will host the British and Irish Lions for 9 matches over 6 weeks including 3 test matches in June and July of this year.
This team formally playing as The British Isles and The British Lions, and is a team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
Their 2013 tour will begin in Hong Kong with a match against the Barbarians, then they will proceed on to Australia to play 6 provincial matches and 3 tests.
The Itinerary is as follows.
- Saturday 1 June 2013, The Barbarians, Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
- Wednesday 5 June 2013, Western Force, Patersons Stadium, Perth
Saturday 8 June 2013, Queensland Reds, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane- Wednesday 12 June 2013, New South Wales / Queensland Country invitational team Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle
- Saturday 15 June 2013, New South Wales Waratahs, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
- Tuesday 18 June 2013, Brumbies, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
- Saturday 22 June 2013, Australia – First Test, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- Tuesday 25 June 2013, Melbourne Rebels, AAMI Park, Melbourne
- Saturday 29 June 2013, Australia – Second Test, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
- Saturday 6 July 2013, Australia – Third Test, ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Former Scotland and British Lions coach Jim Telfer has appeared in a new online video for Australia’s main tourism body – to encourage more Brits to travel to Australia for this year’s British & Irish Lions Tour.
The Tourism Australia video is a parody of Telfer’s famous Everest speech which he delivered in a pre-match pep talk before the 1997 tour.
Originally having encouraged the British rugby stars to overcome their ‘Everest moment’ and seize victory from the Aussies, the new version is aimed directly at the British fans who would head down under if they could.
The spoof motivational speech sees Telfer preparing the men of Great Britain and Ireland for the battle that faces them in overcoming their greatest challenge – convincing their wives and girlfriends for permission to travel to Australia and follow the 2013 Tour.
Tefer said in a media release: “The British & Irish Lions Tour is the absolute pinnacle for players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. There are no excuses to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m urging every UK man to climb their Everest and support our team.”
While the video takes a lighthearted approach, Telfer insisted The British & Irish Lions Tour is sure to be an incredible experience for players and fans alike and shouldn’t be missed.
“British & Irish Lions fans are some of the most avid in the world, and we await the “Sea of Red” to invade our shores later this year. With nine games, including three Test matches, played throughout Australia, this will be a great boost for tourism and a wonderful opportunity to showcase the best of our country to as many as 20,000 travelling fans,” added Andrew McEvoy, Managing Director, Tourism Australia.
The British & Irish Lions will play nine matches during the six-week Tour of Australia (5 June – 6 July), including three Test matches against the Qantas Wallabies and games against all five Australian Super 15 Rugby teams.
The three Test matches will occur in Brisbane (22 June), Melbourne (29 June) and Sydney (6 July), with the Tour also including matches in Perth, Canberra and Newcastle.
The last time the British and Irish Lions toured Australia was in 2001 and that was the first time an Australian team had defeated a British Lions team in a Test series.
The captain of the British and Irish Lions on that tour was Martin Johnson who was the first man at that time to captain two Lions tours.
Below is the current Tourism Australia advertising video featuring legendary British Lions coach Jim Telfer.