Springboks add Leicester to end of year tour

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

South Africa have added a midweek match against leading English club Leicester Tigers to their end-of-year tour schedule.

The Springboks will take on the seven-time English Premiership Champions at Welford Road in Leicester on the evening of Thursday, November 5 (kick-off TBC).

The match precedes Tests against France (November 14), Italy (November 21) and Ireland (November 28).

"The match will be an ideal preparation for three very tricky Test matches and give the Springboks the chance to have a taste of northern hemisphere conditions once again," said Andy Marinos, acting manager director of SA Rugby.

"It will also give us an opportunity to test out new combinations as we look towards the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

"Leicester are a powerhouse of European club rugby and can field a host of England and overseas internationals and we'll have our work cut out against them – we couldn't have asked for a more challenging warm-up for the Test matches."

The Springboks will arrive in England the day before the match, having begun their preparations in Johannesburg. Following the match they will depart for France to prepare for the Test in Toulouse.

Marinos said he was in discussions to add a second mid-week match to the tour schedule, although details had yet to be finalised.

Leicester Tigers chairman Peter Tom said: "To bring the world champions to Welford Road is a real coup and a massive honour for the club. It says a lot for our standing in the world game and we are delighted that South Africa are able to fulfil this special occasion."

The Springbok match will mark the opening of a new stand at Welford Road to take the ground's capacity to 24 000, making it the "biggest and best purpose-built club rugby stadium in Europe" said Tom.[/b]

www.rugbyweek.co.za

Should be a good game to watch and it should be really good preparation for the Boks for the tests that follow.

Thoughts...?

 

[feicarsinn]

Hurray for old-timey tour games. Up with this sort of thing I say!


Tis great to see really though, Leicester should be able to give them a decent run out even missing so many internationals.

 

[monkeypigeon]

I thought the same as Feicarsinn. I'd love to see something near a return to the good old tour system.

Looks like Leicester saw the money that Munster made last year and the South African union read about how much Munster payed the All Blacks and hey presto! It works out for everyone!

 

[SaintsFan Webby]

South Africa could do the rest of England a favour if they would care to take their physically renowned brand of rugby and take Leicester down a peg or two.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

I think it'd be awesome if we got to see NH teams go against Super 14/ANZ Cup/Currie Cup teams. It give the lesser used internationals a chance of a game. I know Scotland could use a few matches to try out some new/less frequently used players and this would be an ideal place to do it.

 

[candybum]

Great to see, but i don't think there's much gains ($$$ wise) especially from NZ compared to the NH.

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (candybum @ Jul 26 2009, 02:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Great to see, but i don't think there's much gains ($$ wise) especially from NZ compared to the NH.[/b]

"To bring the world champions to Welford Road is a real coup"

Which means:

"To bring the world champions to Welford Road cost a bomb but we'll make our bit too"

I'd say everyone makes their bit out of these arrangements.