Boks pin financial hopes on Lions tour

Sports administrators around the world are contemplating a future they have no control over and which may drastically alter the landscape when normalcy returns.

From a rugby perspective, South African administrators are looking to next year's British & Irish Lions tour to their country as a potential game saver for them.

A member of the professional board of Western Province Rugby, Raymond van Niekerk told Netwerk 24, "If the Lions tour generates a lot of income then it could save the game in South Africa."

With the world game on hold, and the prospect that rugby could remain that way until the new year, especially as a result of countries deciding to retain closed borders possibly until a vaccine has been discovered and distributed, even that remains a long shot.

"Everyone in the game around the world is under pressure. If you get a big financial incentive, it will offer a golden opportunity to save the industry – which takes to heart the interests of the franchise teams, players, supporters and interested parties," van Niekerk said.

However, he said there were major financial implications ahead for rugby unions who were already struggling. He felt South Africa was in a better position than European clubs, especially those in England, to cope with the situation.

"We're not close to cutting players' salaries," he said.

"We have a good relationship with our players. The issue is nothing that they could have controlled.

"There's a big difference compared to overseas clubs who are privately owned. They move quickly and ruthlessly. 

"We are more people-oriented because the provincial unions are involved. We want to limit the negative impact on players and personnel as much as possible," he said.

However, there are two organisations involved in the tour.

Springbok interests will have to hope that if the Lions are to be the financial lifeline for South Africa then British and Irish rugby recover sufficiently to not only retain players but to put in place effective competitions from which a Lions team could be selected.