Sunday, December 9, 2012

The British & Irish Lions vs The Barbarians game in Hong Kong


The British & Irish Lions, a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, will be on a six-week tour to Australia and the tour will start with a game in Hong Kong against the famous Barbarians Club on Saturday, 1 June 2013. The six-week tour marks the 125-year anniversary of The Lions’ heritage and traditions. Lions were formerly known as the British Isles and the British Lions.

Tickets for this historic game are now on sale to the public. The Lions Tour will be the pinnacle of the rugby calendar next year and is eagerly anticipated by rugby fans globally. This match on 1 June 2013 will be the first time The Lions have every played in Hong Kong.

To launch the historic 125th year anniversary Tour to Australia on 1st June 2013, The Lions will make history as they play their first ever match in Hong Kong against the Barbarians on 1st June 2013.

The British & Irish Lions, a team selected from the elite Rugby Union players from the four fiercest of rivals (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) join forces to go on Tour every four years, playing 10 matches all around Australia, South Africa or New Zealand. Underpinned behind The Lions' players are the very values which reunite them together as a team: Pride, Exclusivity, Passion, Responsibility, Pioneering and Friendship.

They will be playing the legendary Barbarians; an extremely exciting match for the very large British, Irish, Australian and South African population in Hong Kong.

The British & Irish Lions vs The Barbarians
The British & Irish Lions vs The Barbarians
Who are the Lions?

The first official tour by the British Isles Rugby Union Team, selected by a committee from all four Home Unions, was to South Africa in 1910. But the idea was not a new one, as combined British & Irish teams had been heading for the southern hemisphere since 1888.

The first tour was a commercial venture made without official backing, but the six subsequent visits that took place prior to 1910 enjoyed a growing degree of support from the authorities, although only one of these included representatives of all four nations.

Who are the Barbarians?

The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain. The Barbarians play in traditional black and white hoops, though players retain the socks from their "home" club strip.

Membership is by invitation and the only qualifications considered when issuing an invitation are that the player's rugby is of a high enough standard and secondly that he should behave himself on and off the field. Being asked to become a Barbarian is an honour and not one restricted to British players; in addition to all four of the Home Nations, players from 27 other countries have worn Barbarian colours.[1] Traditionally at least one uncapped player is selected for each match.

Gates will open at 4.00 pm and the game between  The British & Irish Lions and The Barbarians will kick off at 7.30 pm. There are 3 categories of tickets (all reserved seating):
Gold    - HK $1290 (USD 166)
Silver   - HK $1000 (USD 129)
Bronze - HK $750  (USD 98)

It has been a long time since such a game has taken place en-route to the main tour destination. "The last Lions Tour to Australia in 2001 heralded the dawn of 'The Red Army' with tens of thousands of English, Irish, Scottish & Welsh tourists and ex-pats wearing the red jersey in support of the Lions. For 2013 we have the perfect opportunity to expand this in the developing rugby region of Asia with the inclusion of a match in Hong Kong," said Tour manager and former Lion Andy Irvine.

Trevor Gregory, Chairman of the HKRFU added: "We are proud to be hosting this truly unique rugby occasion. It will be an honour to welcome the British & Irish Lions and the Barbarians for a fixture that continues their remarkable legacy. I have no doubt it will capture the imagination of rugby supporters in Hong Kong, the Asian region and the rest of the world.

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