News

Fixtures worry resolvable

Wednesday 14th May 2008

Andy Irvine: Seeking a common sense solution

British and Irish Lions chiefs are confident a potentially embarrassing clash of fixtures that could affect the start of the 2009 tour to South Africa will be resolved.

The opening match of the tour is against a Highveld XV in Rustenburg on May 30 - the same day the Guinness Premiership final is scheduled to be staged at Twickenham.

Ian McGeechan has been confirmed as Lions head coach, rendering the Wasps director of rugby unavailable for the domestic showpiece should the London club become involved.

But Lions chairman Andy Irvine is convinced that the Rugby Football Union and Premier Rugby will strike an agreement.

"Obviously it's a concern for us but I think that common sense will prevail," he said.

"The Lions tour is so important that we will get this issue resolved. We're pretty confident about that.

"There's still plenty of time to go and I'm very much in the optimists' camp that a solution will be found.

"We were asked to bring forward the tour forward by one week by the RFU.

"It wasn't particularly easy to bring forward. We had to get co-operation from the South Africans but we did so in good faith and we're very surprised to learn of the clash of fixtures.

"But it's not rocket science to work it out. I think you could hold a round of Premiership matches between Christmas and New Year and that would allow the final to be brought forward by two weeks."

Irvine revealed that should the fixture clash remain in place, McGeechan would be required to lead the Lions to South Africa.

"There is a slight possibility of the schedule remaining and if it does then Ian's priority would be with the Lions," he said.

The last tour to New Zealand was an unmitigated disaster with a bloated touring party of 51 players and 26 back-room staff collapsing to a Test series whitewash.

Irvine stressed the importance of learning the lessons of the All Black debacle three years ago and insisted McGeechan's philosophy would ensure the same mistakes are not repeated.

"When we interviewed Ian his views of the how the tour should be run coincided with our own," he said.

"I won't knock what happened on the last tour but it's important in any walk of life that you learn from the past.

"The one major lesson from that tour is that we need greater unity. The whole thing must come together.

"Ian was on that tour and knows how things can be improved. We have great faith in his judgement.

"I was surprised at the scale of the last touring party. It's easy for me to say in a retrospective sense because now it's history.

"If we'd 3-0 we would have said it was a stroke of genius."
Irvine acclaimed McGeechan as the Lions' very own Sir Alex Ferguson.

"There was speculation about other coaches getting the job but if you look at Ian's record it really speaks for itself," he said.

"There are similarities between Ian and Sir Alex Ferguson - and not just because they're both Scottish. The desire and hunger is there."