Mark McCafferty slams 2017 Lions tour schedule

Chief Executive Officer of Premiership Rugby, Mark McCafferty, has heavily criticised the grueling schedule of the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand next year.

The Lions tour of New Zealand in June next year consists of three Tests against All Blacks and also clashes against Provincial Union XV, Maori All Blacks and other Super Rugby sides.The squad for the tour will depart to New Zealand prior to the final of the Aviva Premiership and Pro12 while it is also expected to clash with the final of the Top14 tournament.

McCafferty believes the amount of games played on the tour will be a concern for the players heading into the 2017/18 season.

"It is going to be very difficult next year," he said in the Observer. "It is a punishing schedule and I do not know why it was signed up to. Ten games over that period is a lot and there will be difficulty for players coming off that tour going into the 2017/18 Premiership.

"The Lions is in the mix as we move towards the season structure post-2019. It is a fabulous brand and an important part of the economics for the southern hemisphere. It should carry on but it is not sustainable that players can go through a club and international season, be involved in that scale of tour and then be in shape for the following season.

"People involved in the Lions need to listen. Do you need to play that number of midweek games when the economics are driven off the back of three Tests in the main? Nothing can be done about next year but then the agreement will be up and things need to be worked out."