The British & Irish Lions tour against the Springboks has reportedly taken a step towards being based in the UK after allegedly receiving support from the UK government.
A report in the Times has suggested that the government of the United Kingdom is willing to financially underpin the tour with a view of using it to boost national morale and unite Britain with the Scottish independence political agenda once again building momentum.
The move to have the tour in the UK would be a first for the British & Irish Lions who have never played a test match in the United Kingdom and would mean that South African could have to wait another 12 years before seeing the Lions take to the field on South African soil.
It is hoped that with the mass roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, crowds will be allowed to attend the series if it were to be UK-based with the possibility of a fourth test also being discussed in order to try to drive up revenue.
A formal announcement is expected in the next few weeks but an additional test would pace the way for a match within each country with Twickenham, Murrayfield, the Millenium Stadium, and the Aviva Stadium the likely destinations for the fixtures.