The British & Irish Lions could become a 'dead concept' if future tours are reduced from 10 to eight games and six to five weeks.
The Daily Telegraph reports that there is pressure from clubs, particularly in England, to cut down Lions tours.
'If they take a couple of matches away from us, all coaches think that is madness, bordering on insanity – voluntary insanity,' Lions manager John Spencer told the newspaper. 'If we are not careful with preparation I think the Lions could be a dead concept.
'The clubs would be killing it by demanding extra things every tour – shorter tours, fewer matches, less preparation. Meanwhile, with one fewer match before the first Test, the Lions would come under incredible pressure from the host nation.
'It is easy to say “don’t play the midweek matches” but how do we prepare? Our tour has to have moral force. We need to engage with the community, be respectful and we need to go away with a level of integrity and unless we provide meaningful opposition you just cannot do it.'
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