REVEALED | British & Irish Lions home match venue and opponent

Saturday, 30 May 2020 at 06:41

bySteven Smith

Murrayfield have reportedly beaten off competition from the Aviva, Principality and Twickenham to host the Lions' home Test in June next year.

According to Independent.ie, the Edinburgh venue is leading the charge to host a clash between the Lions and Japan in what would be the composite side’s first match in the United Kingdom or Ireland since their encounter with Argentina in Wales in 2005.

Rich Freeman

@FreemanrugbyJPN

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Japan set to play British and Irish Lions on June 26, 2021 at Murrayfield according to report in @telegraph_sport

10:06 PM · May 29, 2020

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Organisers are hopeful that the 67,000-capacity stadium would sell out. The match precedes the Lions tour of South Africa in July and August, for which an estimated 30,000 fans are expected to travel.

The first home Lions Test since Argentina came to Cardiff in 2005 would raise around, whereas revenue from match tickets in South Africa will go to the home union.

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British & Irish Lions predicted 2021 starting XV according to the bookies

Although it's about a year until Warren Gatland picks his Lions squad, the public has already started talking about who will make it onto the plane and who will line-up in the first Test against South Africa.

Gatland has spoken publicly about his team but has given little away as he continues to ponder over big selection decisions.

That doesn’t stop the bookies offering odds on who will make the squad.

Here is how the XV would shape up based on the favourites to be selected from each position.

You can view the full odds from Paddy Power HERE.

Odds are accurate on Wednesday, 22nd April 2020, 8am, and are subject to change.

Fullback: LIAM WILLIAMS (Wales 4/7)

Other contenders: Stuart Hogg (Scotland 4/6), Jordan Larmour (Ireland EVS), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales 5/1), George Furbank (England 7/2)

Left wing: JONNY MAY (England 1/25)

Other contenders: Jacob Stockdale (Ireland 1/3), Adam Radwan (England 40/1), Jack Nowell (England 11/4), Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales 13/8)

Outside-centre: JONATHAN DAVIES (Wales 1/3)

Other contenders: Henry Slade (England 5/6), Garry Ringshow (Ireland 4/6), Jonathan Joseph (England 13/8), Chris Harris (Scotland 20/1), Huw Jones (Scotland 6/1)

Inside-centre: MANU TUILAGI (England 1/3)

Other contenders: Robbie Henshaw (Ireland 5/6), Hadleigh Parkes (Wales 5/4), Sam Johnson (Scotland 9/2)

Right wing: JOSH ADAMS (Wales 1/18)

Other contenders: Anthony Watson (England 4/6), George North (Wales 2/1), Elliot Daly (England 10/11), Joe Cokanasiga (England 3/1), Keith Earls (Ireland 9/2)

Fly-half: OWEN FARRELL (England 1/25)

Other contenders: Johnny Sexton (Ireland 1/2), Dan Biggar (Wales 8/15), Finn Russell (Scotland 3/1), Marcus Smith (England 8/1)

Scrum-half: CONOR MURRAY (Ireland 4/6)

Other contenders: Tomos Williams (Wales 5/4), Ben Youngs (England 6/4), Ali Price (Scotland 2/1)

Looshead-prop: MAKO VUNIPOLA (England 4/6)

Other contenders: Ellis Genge (England 1/3), Cian Healy (Ireland 5/6), Joe Marler (England 5/2)

Hooker: JAMIE GEORGE (England 1/10)

Other contenders: Luke Cowan-Dickie (England 4/6), Ken Owens (Wales 7/4), Stuart McInally (Scotland 7/2)

Tighthead-prop: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland 1/15)

Other contenders: Kyle Sinckler (England 1/5), Tomas Francis (Wales 11/8), Harry Williams (England 5/1)

Lock: MATO ITOJE (England 1/10)

Other contenders: James Ryan (Ireland 1/5), Jonny Gray (Scotland 8/11)

Lock: ALUN WYN JONES (Wales 1/5)

Other contenders: Iain Henderson (Ireland 4/6), Courtney Lawes (England 5/4), George Kruis (England 7/2), Jean Kleyn (Ireland 33/1), Richie Gray (Scotland 5/1)