British Lions to kickstart Boks tour with a test against Japan on home soil
The British & Irish Lions will play a rugby event against Japan in Edinburgh next June before embarking on an eight-game tour of South Africa. It will be just the third home test for the Lions and the first against Japan. Lions head coach Warren Gatland said the World Cup quarter-finals would offer a tough test before his team faces World Cup champion, South Africa, in a three-round series. "We saw Japan play excellent rugby during the World Cup and they will come to Edinburgh fully motivated to win," Gatland said. "They are a talented team playing high-paced rugby, so it will be a good challenge for us before the tour and an opportunity for the team of the day to raise their hands for the test selection." Japan's head coach Jamie Joseph said the June 26 game would be an "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our players, and we can't wait for it to come." British & Irish Lions The British and Irish Lions played in Cardiff against ...