Avusa to publish the Official 2009 British and Irish Lions Rugby Tour Guide to South Africa

Craig Ray, author of the best selling ‘In Black and White: The Jake White story' and senior rugby writer for The Times newspaper, is editing the Guide.

The Tour Guide will be an essential handbook for the estimated 50 000 travelling Lions supporters and thousands of Bok supporters over the course of the seven-week tour to South Africa. It will provide a history of Lions visits, take a look at key players in the 2009 series, contain exclusive interviews with coaches Peter de Villiers and Ian McGeechan and much, much more.

Overview of the Lions:
The British and Irish Lions are selected from the best players in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They only tour every four years, alternating between New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, which sees them visit each of these countries once every 12 years.

Playing for the Lions is considered the pinnacle of a players' career in Britain and Ireland and playing against the Lions ranks alongside playing in a World Cup for South African players.

With a rich, storied history the Lions are the last rugby team to undertake an ‘old-fashioned' tour. In the professional era teams spend no more than three weeks on tour, playing only Test matches. The Lions rekindle the spirit of yesteryear by playing matches against provincial and composite teams as they build towards the ultimate goal - three Tests against their hosts.

The last three Lions tours (South Africa in 1997; Australia in 2001 and New Zealand in 2005) have been massive commercial successes proving that the Lions Tour is one of the biggest sporting events on the global calendar.

>> South Africa expects 50 000 visitors from Great Britain and Ireland
>> 400 000 match tickets are expected to be sold

The 2009 British and Irish Lions will play ten matches (three Test and seven tour matches) at various locations in South Africa around from 30 May 2009 to 4 July 2009.

Schedule:

1. May 30 v Highveld XV (Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, Rustenburg)
2. June 3 v Golden Lions (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
3. June 6 v Cheetahs (Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein)
4. June 10 v Sharks (Absa Stadium, Durban)
5. June 13 v Western Province (Newlands, Cape Town)
6. June 16 v Coastal XV (Port Elizabeth)
7. June 20 v South Africa (first Test, Absa Stadium, Durban)
8. June 23 v Emerging Springboks (Newlands, Cape Town)
9. June 27 v South Africa (second Test, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

10. July 4 v South Africa (third Test, Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
    

Lions Tour Guide 2009

The tour guide will be distributed through retail stores nationwide and will sell at R29.95 a copy. Readers will be able to purchase a copy of the guide from the first week of May 2009

We believe this to be a wonderful branding opportunity for all South African companies, specifically in the sporting and tourism sections.

For advertising queries please contact Kirsten Laurings on 083 274 1419 or 011 467 0389 or .

For marketing queries please contact Judiet Barnes on .