Rugby: Lions to feel hard edge of Super sides before tests

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Lions' schedule for 2017 is close to being finalised and the tourists may be properly softened up by an onslaught of Super Rugby opposition before the tests.

Super Rugby and invitational sides rather than provinces are likely to provide the opposition in a 10-game tour that the Lions have asked to be genuinely competitive between the three tests.

This would represent a significant departure from 2005 - the only other Lions tour of New Zealand in the professional era - when the visitors played Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Otago, Auckland, Southland, Taranaki and the New Zealand Maori team before losing the test series 3-0.

Back then, Super Rugby was done and dusted by the time the Lions arrived and provincial sides were into their NPC preparation.

But in 2017, Super Rugby will be in full flow when the Lions arrive and will effectively be put on hold to accommodate the tour.

The Lions will make perfect opponents for the franchises who have, in the past few years, struggled to fill their time constructively during the June test window.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew says he and the rest of the rugby fraternity are eager to ensure the Lions are given the tough build-up they have asked for.

"The balance for us is that we want as many New Zealanders as possible to have the opportunity to see these games," says Tew.

"We sought applications [to host games] from regions. In the case of Auckland, for example, the application came from a consortium that included Ateed, Auckland Rugby and North Harbour Rugby.

"There's a big difference between 2005 and 2017 and that is in the former, Super Rugby had finished and players were back with their provinces. In 2017, we will be pausing Super Rugby so the players will still be in their Super team environments.

"It will be much more difficult to run a provincial side at that time."

Similar to the last time the Lions came to New Zealand, there will be seven games excluding the tests and Tew says they have received 14 applications to host.

If all five Super Rugby sides are afforded a crack at the Lions, the remaining games will probably be given to invitational sides as it would be unlikely ITM Cup teams could field competitive units.

The clash with New Zealand Maori in 2005 was one of the tour highlights - the home side winning on a memorable night in Hamilton - and the NZRU will be tempted to repeat the fixture.

Tew says an announcement is due in early May - which will reveal details not only about the Lions tour but also test fixtures and venues for 2016 and 2017.

"We'll be taking a two-year view," said Tew. "We won't announce the Lions tour in isolation because there's a significant amount of rugby to be allocated to venues and cities and regions."

As well as the Lions tour, the All Blacks will play a home series against Wales in 2016, the Rugby Championship and extra Bledisloe Cup games.