British and Irish Lions confirm 2017 New Zealand tour schedule

[Kiwi_]

Whilst I think it would be nice to spread the test matches across the country, what the locals in the South Island are really missing out on is the atmosphere of having the Lions in town - but then again, they'll still be visiting for the midweek matches anyway.

If we were to arbitrarily decide that 25% of the population wanted to attend a test match, that would mean roughly 300,000 people in Auckland and 30,000 people in Dunedin want to go along.

If 60,000 people attend in Auckland, that still leaves 240,000 people missing out (or 80%). In contrast, if 30,000 people attend in Dunedin, no one misses out.

Of course the numbers above are arbitrary, and you could argue that Dunedinites are more likely to go to a match than Aucklanders (though the fact that Highlanders games were sold out and Blues games weren't is irrelevant, because obviously more people attend matches when a team is winning), but I think it would be wrong to suggest that people in Otago are missing out if Auckland gets two test matches because, at the end of the day, a lot more people are going to miss out in Auckland regardless.

It's not just Dunedin though is it. It's the South Island. The South Island is the main reason anyone wants to come traveling all the way out to NZ in the first place. There's no decent reason to have 2 in Auckland. It's selfish, greedy and they have quite simply added very little to NZ Rugby the last 10 years. It feels like Auckland is the country and the rest of the country gets crumbs and scraps.

 

[smartcooky]

That's a pretty dumb argument. A game weeks before the test matches is not the same as a game 2 days after a test match. No one is expecting the Hurricanes to put out a full strength side, but the Blues and the Crusaders could.

Well gee whiz, isn't that what I said?

 

[Maverick1987]

Are the highlanders from the north or South Island ?

 

[nickdnz]

Are the highlanders from the north or South Island ?

South. They are the most southern team.

 

[nickdnz]

It's not just Dunedin though is it. It's the South Island. The South Island is the main reason anyone wants to come traveling all the way out to NZ in the first place.

Yes. To check out Dunedin. A tall street and some couches on fire.

Despite NZ travel brochures being largely of the SI, there are many more tourists in Auckland and Wellington.

 

[Kiwi_]

Yes. To check out Dunedin. A tall street and some couches on fire.

Despite NZ travel brochures being largely of the SI, there are many more tourists in Auckland and Wellington.

Wow.

and the tourists all prefer the South Island.

 

[goodNumber10]

Well gee whiz, isn't that what I said?

I think his, and certainly my point is why being up the Munster game when it's such a different scenario to what we're complaining about?

Anyway, it's going to be a very interesting tour, i am very much debating flying down to visit family for it....

 

[RoosTah]

It's still a long way out, but I'm really looking forward to this series - there's something very special about Lions tours of NZ in particular, and with the balance between Ireland, Wales and England (sorry Scotland, but you aren't really there at the moment) being even and without an outright leader, the side has the potential to be quite strong.

Plus, it's one of the few times I can barrack for the All Blacks .

 

[Bluemoon]

The balance of the team will highly depend on the next 12 months, but also on who is part of the coaching set up. I'd like to see a bigger mix in the coaching team, as this might balance out the players who are taken on the tour from each nation.

This is the first tour in my life where I could feasibly just about afford to make the trip, even with the tour operators prices... big decisions. Getting 6 weeks off work is the issue!

 

[Kiwi_]

It's a great test series for the class of 2016 as well. Guys will be wanting to cement their spot next year after the "exodus" after the world cup and it's something for the young new generation to make their mark in. Should be a fantastic series, can't wait.

 

[Car]

Somehow all the June and November tours without the Lions almost feel boring to me. It seems the same countries are playing each other every year (I haven't checked if the actual fixtures are identical). But with the Lions, you always get something different.

 

[William18]

Yes. To check out Dunedin. A tall street and some couches on fire.

Despite NZ travel brochures being largely of the SI, there are many more tourists in Auckland and Wellington.

Source? Queenstown gets 1.8 million international tourists per year per a stuff article. This NZ Herald article (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11201600) says only 750,000 internationals arrive in Wellington each year. Auckland has apparently cracked 2 million international visitors (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11396046) for the first time That is likely because Auckland has an international airport - most tourists fly into Auckland and fly out of Queenstown. It seems to me that your claim is untrue.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I think his, and certainly my point is why being up the Munster game when it's such a different scenario to what we're complaining about?

Anyway, it's going to be a very interesting tour, i am very much debating flying down to visit family for it....

Yep, precisely.

 

[nickdnz]

Wow.

and the tourists all prefer the South Island.

For what was obviously tongue in cheek - in response to your idiotic South Island BS - did it really require a neg rep? I mean don't get me wrong, you're welcome to. I just don't wanna have to hear you cry to me later about people neg repping you.

Source? Queenstown gets 1.8 million international tourists per year per a stuff article. This NZ Herald article (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11201600) says only 750,000 internationals arrive in Wellington each year. Auckland has apparently cracked 2 million international visitors (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11396046) for the first time That is likely because Auckland has an international airport - most tourists fly into Auckland and fly out of Queenstown. It seems to me that your claim is untrue.

https://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-ind...ternational-visitor-markets/total-profile.pdf

I actually had to make a profile recently on this very thing. The Wellington figures I found included internal visits, which made it much higher than Queestown, but this one just has internationals (but even this one has only a 2% difference). It's a study over 8 years, NZ stats don't offer an updated one. The overall point is that "people only come to New Zealand because of the South Island" is ridiculous, but it's rhetoric you have to always put up with. I love the South Island. It's beautiful. But it's not the be all and end all of New Zealand, no more than the North is..

 

[Kiwi_]

For what was obviously tongue in cheek - in response to your idiotic South Island BS - did it really require a neg rep? I mean don't get me wrong, you're welcome to. I just don't wanna have to hear you cry to me later about people neg repping you.



https://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-ind...ternational-visitor-markets/total-profile.pdf

I actually had to make a profile recently on this very thing. The Wellington figures I found included internal visits, which made it much higher than Queestown, but this one just has internationals (but even this one has only a 2% difference). It's a study over 8 years, NZ stats don't offer an updated one. The overall point is that "people only come to New Zealand because of the South Island" is ridiculous, but it's rhetoric you have to always put up with. I love the South Island. It's beautiful. But it's not the be all and end all of New Zealand, no more than the North is..

And that's my point about Auckland getting 2 tests matches. Auckland isn't the "be all and end all of New Zealand". It's hardly a test tour if all the tests are in the North Island. It's all well running a mid week team vs some SR teams, but that's a ***** poor effort, especially given how world class the FSB stadium is and what the South Island offers to all the UK travellers and for the record Dunedin might not be the pinot gris, craft beer drinking alt music crowd Wellington is, but it still has strong culture and a lot of roots back to the UK, it's almost a home away from home for the Lions, so it's extremely disappointing there's no test.

 

[nickdnz]

There is a big jump though between 'more than Auckland' - which I agree with - than the only reason people come is for the South Island - which I don't agree with.

My comment towards Dunedin was clearly pretty tongue in cheek. I'm staying with a mate in Hyde St for a weekend before I head overseas, usually some fun parties there (although I think alcohol is a necessity to stop people freezing to death there..). It's weird that you can object to me being so reductive towards Otago, and do the same thing for Wellington (although I do love a good craft beer...).

 

[Kiwi_]

There is a big jump though between 'more than Auckland' - which I agree with - than the only reason people come is for the South Island - which I don't agree with.

My comment towards Dunedin was clearly pretty tongue in cheek. I'm staying with a mate in Hyde St for a weekend before I head overseas, usually some fun parties there (although I think alcohol is a necessity to stop people freezing to death there..). It's weird that you can object to me being so reductive towards Otago, and do the same thing for Wellington (although I do love a good craft beer...).

Gotta love that craft beer. Check out Emersons while you're in Dunedin, quality.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Bring on the Lions Woohoo.
I hope it's a much closer series than the last one which was a joke.
The Lions look like they will have a much stronger team than 2005 and the All Blacks will be weaker with the old boys moving on after the RWC this year.
Great to see Whangarei gets a game on the calendar.
Brilliant.
A strong lions team is the tonic for the troops.
They need to win one of the first two tests and stick a marker down. They also need to beat a strong NZ Maori team.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Bring on the Lions Woohoo.
I hope it's a much closer series than the last one which was a joke.
The Lions look like they will have a much stronger team than 2005 and the All Blacks will be weaker with the old boys moving on after the RWC this year.
Great to see Whangarei gets a game on the calendar.
Brilliant.
A strong lions team is the tonic for the troops.
They need to win one of the first two tests and stick a marker down. They also need to beat a strong NZ Maori team.

Yes, that's quite important in a three test series.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Still too far away to even think about the Lions tour. Post back up in 18 months time.