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A match between the British & Irish Lions and Argentina is being considered for 2021. According to the Telegraph such a match is being considered as a send-off match for the British and Irish side before their tour to South Africa.
In addition to Argentina a match is also being considered against France. The match would be played at London’s Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby. It would mark the second ‘home’ match for the Lions this millennium with the prior fixture being in 2005 against Argentina in Cardiff, Wales.
The 2005 fixture saw the British & Irish Lions coming back from a deficit to secure a 25-25 draw against Argentina. The Felipe Contepomi captained side was without 30 players who were unable to gain release from their clubs for the match.
The makeshift line-up included Mauricio Reggiardo coming out of retirement; hooker Federico Mendez playing prop; Bernardo Stortoni at fullback; Nicolás Fernández Miranda at scrum-half; and a call-up for Federico Todeschini from the Pro D2.
The British & Irish Lions would go on to have a disastrous tour of New Zealand, losing the three match series 0-3. They would also be defeated by the Maori All Blacks. Twelve years later they would tie a three match series 1-1-1 against New Zealand.
Standing in the way of either Argentina or France facing the British & Irish Lions is an agreement with Premier Rugby. The proposed date of the match is to be a week after the English Premiership Final, a complicated date ahead of the 2021 tour to South Africa.
The last time the British & Irish Lions played in London was against the Barbarians in 1977. They would go on to lose that year’s four match test series 3-1 against New Zealand.
