The British and Irish Lions will play eight matches in their tour of South Africa, culminating in three Tests against the world champions . The countdown to the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa has begun following the announcement of the 2021 squad.
Fixtures against Super Rugby sides DHL Stormers, Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls will provide the tourists with the chance to get acclimatized before the three Tests.
Here’s the full list of fixtures for the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa – and how to watch on TV – Instant Access Live stream.
| 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa | |
|---|---|
| Date | 3 July – 7 August |
| Coach(es) | Warren Gatland |
| Tour captain(s) | Alun Wyn Jones |
Lions head coach Warren Gatland has named an expanded 37-man squad for the eight-match tour of South Africa – culminating in three Tests against the world champions.
The squad will have a pre-tour fixture with Japan at Murrayfield before the tour, which was uncertain to go ahead amid the Covid pandemic, starts in July against Super Rugby opposition.
When does the South Africa v Lions tour start?
The Lions will begin their summer fixtures on familiar ground when Japan visit Murrayfield on Saturday 26 June 2021 before the South Africa tour begins the following week.
Fixtures against Super Rugby sides DHL Stormers, Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls will provide the tourists with the chance to get acclimatized before the three Tests.
There will also be fixtures against a South Africa Invitational and a South Africa A to fulfil for Gatland’s team, who will be led on the field by Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones.
What is the full schedule of SA Rugby Lions tour fixtures?
| MATCH DATE | MATCH | LOCATION | STADIUM |
| Saturday 26th June | Japan vs Lions | Edinburgh | Murrayfield Stadium |
| Saturday 3rd July 2021 | DHL Stormers vs Lions | Cape Town | Cape Town Stadium |
| Wednesday 7th July 2021 | South Africa ‘Invitational’ vs Lions | Port Elizabeth | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium |
| Saturday 10th July 2021 | Cell C Sharks vs Lions | Durban | Jonsson Kings Park |
| Wednesday 14th July 2021 | South Africa ‘A’ vs Lions | Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit | Mbombela Stadium |
| Saturday 17th July 2021 | Vodacom Bulls vs Lions | Pretoria | Loftus Versfeld |
| Saturday 24th July 2021 | South Africa vs Lions | Johannesburg | FNB Stadium |
| Saturday 31st July 2021 | South Africa vs Lions | Cape Town | Cape Town Stadium |
| Saturday 7th August 2021 | Springboks vs Lions tour | Johannesburg | Emirates Airline Park |
How can I watch the Lions tour on TV?
All Lions tour matches will be shown live on TV.
Sky Sports won the television broadcast rights to the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa and will show all the action live through one or more of its dedicated channels.
Sky Sports packages cost upwards of £18 per month for individual channels for existing Sky customers, while the complete sports package costs £25 per month.
The matches can also be heard over the wireless through radio station TalkSport.
How to watch the British and Irish Lions Tour on TV and online
The British & Irish Lions are touring South Africa , and it’s the last Test against the mighty Springboks to decide the series. Here’s how to catch the match live in the UK on TV, mobile and online.
If you don’t have Sky Sports then you can sign up in a few different ways to catch the action.
You can join Sky Sports from £49.50 per month
Alternatively if you already have Sky you can add the Sports package for £18 extra for the first 3 months
Click here to see all the Sky Sports package options
The best way to see the Lions play the Springboks without subscribing to Sky is by getting a NOW TV pass. You can buy a day, week or month pass to Sky Sports to watch on your TV, phone and tablet.