I have always liked change for the right reasons, and the Lions having a game against Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday before they leave to tour South Africa is brilliant, especially as it gives fans here the chance to see them before they leave. In practical terms it also means the Lions get a start against quality opposition, even though the tour will only start in earnest once the whole squad assembles.
There have been other pre-tour matches, which have had a mixed reception. The Lions’ drawn game against Argentina before the 2005 tour of New Zealand was not a great success, whereas the...