Leicester Tigers to play South Africa during AIs.

thomond2006

http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/13671.php

Tigers to host world champions South Africa
24 July 2009, 2:01 pm
By Andy Mann

Leicester Tigers have pulled off a major coup by securing world champions South Africa to celebrate the official opening of the new Caterpillar Stand at Welford Road.
The Guinness Premiership champions will host the Springboks on Friday, November 6, subject to RFU approval.

South Africa won the Rugby World Cup with a final win over defending champions England in 2007 and have just triumphed in this summer’s series against the British & Irish Lions tourists.

The squad, featuring superstar names John Smit, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana begin the Tri-Nations this weekend against New Zealand.

The match at Welford Road will be the Springboks only game in England during their autumn tour before European Tests against France, Italy and Ireland.

Nice coup for Leicester. Will be nothing on Munster vs All Blacks though!

CatFromHue

i saw this too and was thinking it'd be great if there were more games like it.
like the old tours used to be like, with games agianst local clubs.
obviously with the more games that clubs play it isnt really a goer.
maybe one or two games against local opposition on a tour might be do able.

funky penguin

CatFromHue wrote: »

i saw this too and was thinking it'd be great if there were more games like it.
like the old tours used to be like, with games agianst local clubs.
obviously with the more games that clubs play it isnt really a goer.
maybe one or two games against local opposition on a tour might be do able.

Times says its the 5th, but a Friday seems more like it.

Apparently also looking for a second mid-week game.

Digifriendly

CatFromHue wrote: »

i saw this too and was thinking it'd be great if there were more games like it.
like the old tours used to be like, with games agianst local clubs.
obviously with the more games that clubs play it isnt really a goer.
maybe one or two games against local opposition on a tour might be do able.

Yes, great memories of Ulster beating the 1984 Wallabies on a Wednesday afternoon at wind swept Ravenhill! Somehow don't think they'd repeat the feat now, even against an 'A' Australian team!

CatFromHue

for some reason ireland getting beat by the new south wales colts a while ago now always springs to mind.
one of their lads said after "the irish had a couple of good players, that centre looked pretty good" ie an unknown brian o driscoll in his first tour with ireland

Amabokke

I'm also a fan of these mid-week warmup matches against clubs. Ideal warmup for SA before France match, Leicester will be a handfull and physical with big Samoa on the wing who always causes the boks big problems in WCs.

Maybe a boks vs Munster/Leinster would also do the trick.

siltirocker

Amabokke wrote: »

Maybe a boks vs Munster/Leinster would also do the trick.

Boks vs Connacht two years ago was brilliant and when they were World Champs in 95, the had a great game in the sportsground!

chupacabra

Would a Leinster vs Blue Bulls match be feasible during an international tour such as this? Leinster would have no problem getting their first team together, more difficult for the Bulls, they would have to fly some players up just for one game. But it could be a cool concept.

[Jackass]

As far as I know, Leinster had 2 cracks at the All Blacks, drawing one and losing the other...

I'd love to see touring sides play more provincial games...it's more or less unheard of now for an Irish province to play a touring side, and this wont change for many a year, unless there's a further addidas presents the coca cola challenge match sponsored by guinness and tommy leasure wear in association with sky sports and bills hardwear, your first choice for screwdrivers, being an all petes eletrics event, presented to you by dominos pizza, piping hot pizza to your door in 30 minutes, why not wash down with a cold refreshing sprite? challenge match (in association with Thomond fireworks and flash media assisted by Irish military and bruces finest fireworks...why import when bruce can iluminate?) match.

siltirocker

[Jackass] wrote: »

As far as I know, Leinster had 2 cracks at the All Blacks, drawing one and losing the other...

I'd love to see touring sides play more provincial games...it's more or less unheard of now for an Irish province to play a touring side, and this wont change for many a year, unless there's a further addidas presents the coca cola challenge match sponsored by guinness and tommy leasure wear in association with sky sports and bills hardwear, your first choice for screwdrivers, being an all petes eletrics event, presented to you by dominos pizza, piping hot pizza to your door in 30 minutes, why not wash down with a cold refreshing sprite? challenge match (in association with Thomond fireworks and flash media assisted by Irish military and bruces finest fireworks...why import when bruce can iluminate?) match.

Munster played New Zealand in 2008
Connacht played South Africa in 2007
Ulster played Bulls in 2005

I know it not much but as regards the sheer lack of touring teams do now, thats a nice amount on our shores in the past 4 years

ScrubsfanChris

A Fiji v. Munster/leinster/Ulster/Connacht game would be great.