Lions say goodbye to their partners as they jet off to South Africa

Saturday, 26 June 2021 at 21:34

byRugby Rucker

The British and Irish Lions’ tour to South Africa is set to be played behind closed doors, with matches held in either Cape Town, Johannesburg or Pretoria, following a revised schedule.

A statement from the British and Irish Lions and SA Rugby confirmed all eight matches were expected to take place in July and August without fans in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

It is also claimed the new schedule accommodates “stable team bases and training venues” and “significantly reduces travel”.

As a result, Lions players are unable to have family attend the game with stars having to say goodbye at Murrayfield.

#1. Georgie & Owen Farrell (England)

Despite him being England captain, Farrell’s wife Georgie likes to keep her life extremely private. The couple married in the summer of 2018 and Georgie gave birth to their son, Tommy, in March 2019.

#2. Elliot Daly & Michelle Cussell (England)

The England back met his gorgeous fiancee Michelle Cussell when he was still at school. The pair met at the £18,618-a-year Whitgift School for boys in Croydon, south London, where Daly was a pupil and she worked as a sports events organiser – although they were both 18 at the time.

#3. Luke Cowan-Dickie & (England)

Chloe from Cornwall, is a supportive partner and attends most of the Exeter Chief prop’s games. In 2020, she gave birth to their son Arlo.

#4. Courtney Lawes & Jessica Lawes (England)

Not that you can tell from her flawless figure, but the property developer and blogger has four children with her husband Courtney.

#5. Liam Williams & Sophie Harries (Wales)

He has got it right on and off the pitch. The Swansea-born fullback is engaged to model Sophie Harries, who describes herself as a “small town Welsh girl living in London.”

#6. Alun Wyn Jones and Dr Anwen Jones (Wales)

Wife of the Lions captain and mum to their two daughters, Anwen is a Welsh-speaking physiology lecturer at Cardiff's Metropolitan University.

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#7. Taulupe Faletau and Charlotte Rhys Jones (Wales)

Faletau’s wife, Charlotte Rhys Jones, who is the sister of Gareth Bale’s wife, Emma Rhys Jones. Coincidentally, Bale was also in the same school form class as Faletau’s former teammate Sam Warburton. Small world.

#8. Hamish & Lucy Watson (Scotland)

'Pinball' married long-term girlfriend Lucy in summer 2019. She is thought to be an interior designer, and the pair have a baby daughter, called Honor.

#9. Stuart & Gill Hogg (Scotland)

Hogg – who is even admired by Harry Potter author JK Rowling – married long-term partner Gill in 2016. They now have three young children – Archie, Olivia and George.

#10. Conor Murray & Joanna Cooper (Scotland)

Munster scrum half Conor Murray is dating 2015 Miss Universe Ireland winner Joanna Cooper. She studied Journalism at Belfast University and now works as a model, on the books of Present Model Management and Studio Paris MGMT.