Lions Tour 2021 guide: Fixtures, results, squad details and historic results for the tour of South Africa

British & Irish Lions results

Test matches

• Saturday July 24: South Africa 17-22 Lions
• Saturday July 31 : South Africa 27-9 Lions
• Saturday August 7: South Africa 19-16 Lions

Warm-up games

Pre-tour warm-up

• Saturday June 26: Lions 28-10 Japan

Tour warm-up games

• Saturday July 3: Emirates Lions 14-56 Lions
• Wednesday July 7: Cell C Sharks 7-54 Lions
• Saturday July 10: Cell C Sharks 31-71 v Lions
• Wednesday July 14: South Africa ‘A’ 17-13 Lions
• Saturday July 17: DHL Stormers 3-49 Lions

Where to watch the Lions tour

All games are will be broadcast live exclusively on Sky Sports. Channel 4 will broadcast highlights.

You can watch pre and post-match Lions press conferences on sportinglife.com here

What is a Lions tour?

A British and Irish Lions tour involves a group of players selected from each home nation of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Selection is based on the form of these players for their country and club and is designed to bring the best players from each nation together to form a 'super team'.

This squad comes together every four years to then travel to either South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, rotating between these three nations. Hence the Lions visit each country once every 12 years.

Each tour comprises 'warm-up' matches again provincial or club sides, before playing three, or historically four, 'Tests' against the national team. Whichever side wins the majority of these matches wins the Test series and thus a Tour is determined a victory or defeat.

The Lions have toured 37 times, winning 15 tours, losing 20 and drawing two, including their last tour in 2017 against New Zealand.

British and Irish Lions squad quick view

Scroll to the bottom of the page for full details of each player

Coaches

• Head coach: Warren Gatland
• Attack coach: Gregor Townsend
• Forwards coach: Robin McBryde
• Defence coach: Steve Tandy
• Kicking coach: Neil Jenkins
• Captain: Conor Murray

Forwards

Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Jack Conan (Ireland), Luke Cowan Dickie (England), Tom Curry (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Jonny Hill (England), Maro Itoje (England), Wyn Jones (Wales), Courtney Lawes (England), Ken Owens (Wales), Sam Simmonds (England), Kyle Sinckler (England), Rory Sutherland (Scotland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Mako Vunipola (England), Hamish Watson (Scotland).

Backs

Josh Adams (Wales), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Dan Biggar (Wales), Elliot Daly (England), Gareth Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Chris Harris (Scotland), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Conor Murray (Ireland), Ali Price (Scotland), Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales), Finn Russell (Scotland), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Anthony Watson (England), Liam Williams (Wales)

South Africa squad

Forwards

Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks) Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers); Vincent Koch (Saracens); Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers); Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks); Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls); Coenie Oosthuizen (Sale Sharks); Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux-Bègles); Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears); Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers); Scarra Ntubeni (DHL Stormers); Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks); Eben Etzebeth (Toulon); Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier); Franco Mostert (Honda Heat); Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers)

Backs

Aphelele Fassi (Cell C Sharks); Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse); Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz); Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks); Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks,); Yaw Penxe (Cell C Sharks); Rosko Specman (Toyota Cheetahs); Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers); Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks); Damian de Allende (Munster); Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles); Wandisile Simelane (Emirates Lions); Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs); Elton Jantjies (Pau); Handré Pollard (Montpellier); Morné Steyn (Vodacom Bulls); Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks); Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers); Sanele Nohamba (Cell C Sharks); Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)

Lions historic results against South Africa

The Lions have toured South Africa 13 times, winning four Tours and losing eight, including the last visit in 2009.

Tours: 13; Won 4; Drawn: 1; Lost 8

• 2009: Lost 1-2
• 1997: Won 2-1
• 1980: Lost 1-3
• 1974: Won 3-0-1 (Four Test series)
• 1968: Lost 3-0-1 (Four Test series)
• 1962: Lost 0-3-1 (Four Test series)
• 1955: Drew 2-2 (Four Test series)
• 1938: Lost 2-1
• 1924: Lost 0-3-1 (Four Test series)
• 1910: Lost 1-2
• 1903: Lost 0-2-1
• 1896: Won 3-1 (Four Test series)
• 1891: Won 3-0

British and Irish Lions squad full details

Forwards

Zander Fagerson
Position: Prop
Nationality: Scotland
Club: Glasgow Warriors

Tadhg Furlong
Position: Prop
Nationality: Ireland
Club: Leinster

Wyn Jones
Position: Prop
Nationality: Wales
Club: Scarlets

Kyle Sinckler
Position: Prop
Nationality: England
Club: Bristol Bears

Rory Sutherland
Position: Prop
Nationality: Scotland
Club: Edinburgh

Mako Vunipola
Position: Prop
Nationality: England
Club: Saracens

Luke Cowan-Dickie
Position: Hooker
Nationality: England
Club: Exeter Chiefs

Jamie George
Position: Hooker
Nationality: England
Club: Saracens

Ken Owens
Position: Hooker
Nationality: Wales
Club: Scarlets

Tadgh Beirne
Position: Second-row/flanker
Nationality: Ireland
Club: Munster

Iain Henderson
Position: Second-row
Nationality: Ireland
Club: Ulster

Jonny Hill
Position: Second-row
Nationality: England
Club: Exeter Chiefs

Maro Itoje
Position: Second-row
Nationality: England
Club: Saracens

Courtney Lawes
Position: Second-row/flanker
Nationality: England
Club: Northampton Saints

Tom Curry
Position: Flanker
Nationality: England
Club: Sale Sharks

Justin Tipuric
Position: Flanker
Nationality: Wales
Club: Ospreys

Hamish Watson
Position: Flanker
Club: Edinburgh

Jack Conan
Position: Number eight
Nationality: Ireland
Club: Leinster

Taulupe Faletau
Position: Number eight
Nationality: Wales
Club: Bath

Sam Simmonds
Position: Number 8
Nationality: England
Club: Exeter Chiefs

Backs

Gareth Davies
Position: Scrum-half
Nationality: Wales
Club: Scarlets

Conor Murray
Position: Scrum-half
Nationality: Ireland
Club: Leinster

Ali Price
Position: Scrum-half
Nationality: Scotland
Club: Glasgow Warriors

Dan Biggar
Position: Fly-half
Nationality: Wales
Club: Northampton

Owen Farrell
Position: Fly-half
Nationality: England
Club: Saracens

Finn Russell
Position: Fly-half
Nationality: Scotland
Club: Racing 92

Bundee Aki
Position: Centre
Nationality: Ireland
Club: Connacht

Elliot Daly
Age: 28
Position: Centre / full-back / wing
Nationality: England
Club: Saracens

Chris Harris
Age: 30
Position: Centre
Nationality: Scotland
Club: Gloucester

Robbie Henshaw
Position: Centre
Nationality: Ireland
Club: Leinster

Josh Adams
Position: Wing
Nationality: Wales
Club: Cardiff Blues

Louis Rees-Zammit
Position: Wing
Nationality: Wales
Club: Gloucester

Duhan van der Merwe
Position: Wing
Nationality: Scotland
Club: Edinburgh

Anthony Watson
Position: Wing / full-back
Nationality: England
Club: Bath

Liam Williams
Position: Wing / full-back
Nationality: Wales
Club: Scarlets

Stuart Hogg
Position: Full-back
Nationality: Scotland
Club: Exeter Chiefs