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Lions Tour Betting Guide
The British and Irish Lions tour is one of rugby’s oldest and most prestigious traditions. Every four years, a team comprising the finest players from Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales goes on a three test tour of a Southern hemisphere country, playing additional fixtures against local provinces and clubs in that country.
At present the Lions tours alternate between South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, and generate massive public interest and support from the United Kingdom. The Lions Tours matches are regarded as the most important rugby fixtures outside the IRB Rugby World Cup.
The Lions will be traveling to South Africa in 2009 for a three test tour of the country. With Irish, Welsh and English rugby all in excellent health, the games against the world champions are expected to be some of the most competitive in the history of the event.
Lions Tour Betting
With the Lions Tour being of particular interest to the sports fans in the United Kingdom, the tournament is also an important betting event for the region’s top sportsbooks.
Lions Tour fixtures will be widely covered by online sportsbooks, allowing punters to bet on the widest possible selection of rugby betting opportunities. Due to the public interest in the 2009 Lions Tour, fans can also expect sportsbooks to offer a wide selection of Lions Tour betting specials.
Lions Tour History
The first official Lions Tour took place in 1899, when a British team comprising players from all four home nations toured Australia, where they played a four test series against the national team of the host country.
The Lions Tours were rapidly established as important fixtures in international rugby, but it took another 50 years before the Lions Tours entered a golden age, when some of the best Lions teams in the history of the event toured South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
During the 1970s, interest in the Lions Tours peaked as the team made an historic tour of New Zealand, during which they won all but two games, and also defeated New Zealand 2-1 in the test matches. 1974 marked the most famous Lions Tour when Willie McBride’s Lions toured South Africa, defeating the hosts 3-0 in some of the most violent encounters recorded in rugby history.
Lions Tour Winners
The Lions Tours have prospered during the professional era, with the 1997 tour to South Africa in particular drawing a new generation of fans to the sport. The Lions have played 40 test series against different test nations since the inception of the Lions Tour, of which they have won 17.
New Zealand boasts the best record against the Lions, having lost only 1 test series in the history of the event. Australia has the poorest record against touring Lions sides, having won only 2 of their test series played against Lions teams.
Useful Resources:
2009 Lions Tour Schedule
International Rugby Board
South African Rugby
Lions
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