New rugby union season makes Lions an ‘impossible challenge,’ warns Spencer

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• 2017 Lions manager says new calendar ‘damages ethos’ of tour
• RFU looking to Premiership for future England head coach

John Spencer, the manager of the Lions in New Zealand last year, said he was “very concerned” about the future of one of the game’s most iconic brands as future tours will be trimmed to eight matches with no training week for the full squad together before they fly out after changes to the domestic rugby calendar.

“Who is going to want to take on the task of coaching the Lions on what is going to be a virtually impossible challenge?” asked Spencer, who as an England centre was involved on the only other tour to New Zealand that did not end in a series defeat, in 1971. “Are players at the end of a long season going to be prepared to risk reputational damage given the lack of time to prepare?”

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Written by Paul Rees
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/oct/24/new-rugby-union-season-lions-tour-impossible-challenge-john-spencer under the title “New rugby union season makes Lions an ‘impossible challenge,’ warns Spencer”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.