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Lions had option to tour South Africa any time up to end of 2022

Dublin firm handling commercial rights for tour secured agreement from some partners.

Robbie Henshaw in action for the British & Irish Lions against the South African Springboks. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

A Dublin-based entity responsible for handling commercial rights for the British & Irish Lions rugby tour to South Africa this summer secured agreement from some of its partners that the tour could take place any time up to the end of 2022, documents just filed reveal.

Accounts for Lions Tour to South Africa DAC, a joint venture set up with the South African union to commercialise the rights of the Lions tour, state that the board had “ensured that any contracts concluded since the start of the pandemic allow the 2021 tour to take place at any time up until 30 December 2022”.

This was to allow for any delay in staging the tour due to Covid-19 related issues. At one point, the Lions considered hosting the test series in Britain and Ireland but it was later decided to press ahead with the tour to South Africa.

Its broadcasting contracts with Sky UK and SuperSport International Ltd were signed before the pandemic hit in the first quarter of 2020, and were due to expire on July 31st, 2022, according to the accounts.

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No spectators

The tour took place in July, with no spectators allowed in stadiums. South Africa won the test series 2-1.

Separate accounts for a related Dublin-based company, British & Irish Lions DAC, state that it had secured 96 per cent of its target commercial revenue from the tour by July 2021.

The accounts note that Lions Tour to South Africa paid a £1 million advance last year to British & Irish Lions for the 2021 tour, and £280,852 to a subsidiary of the South Africa Rugby Union. The company had £8.3 million in cash at the year end.

Accounts for British & Irish Lions, whose chairman is former England player Jason Leonard, show the company incurred a loss of £842,158 in the year to September 2020. Its turnover amounted to £866,868 while administrative expenses came to £1.7 million.

The company employed six staff during the year with its payroll costs amounting to £839,251. It closed the year with £1.1 million in cash.

British & Irish Lions is jointly owned by the rugby unions in Ireland, England Scotland and Wales.

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock is Business Editor of The Irish Times

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Highest-paid NFL QBs by salary cap percentage: Top 2024 bargains, long-term steals, most expensive starters

A look into which deals might actually be cost-prohibitive (or not).

Trevor Lawrence recently became the latest in a long line of quarterbacks to raise eyebrows with a long-term contract extension, securing a $275 million commitment from the Jacksonville Jaguars despite an uneven start to his NFL career. It's par for the course in a league dominated by signal-callers: Even reasonably effective starters are due big bucks as teams fight to maintain continuity under center.

But how does Lawrence's deal truly stack up to other lucrative deals at the position? More broadly, how do today's big-money extensions actually affect the paying teams? Per-year averages are an important figure, but because of the position's ever-inflating market, top-of-the-line deals quickly become outdated. So we're looking instead at the percentage of the annual salary cap that quarterback deals command.

For instance, all teams have a league-designated cap of $255.4 million in 2024, and while the Jaguars just signed Lawrence, the former No. 1 overall draft pick only counts $15 million against the cap in 2024, or roughly 5.9%. That leaves roughly 94% of the cap for other players. In three years, however, Lawrence is owed $35 million in 2027, when he's projected to account for 11% of that year's cap.

Using cap data from both Spotrac and Over the Cap, we've listed the top 15 highest-paid quarterbacks on a per-year basis, plus the average annual percentage of each deal against the projected cap:

Top 15 highest-paid QBs

What can we take away from these numbers, plus more specific windows of projected cap impacts? We've grouped some of the top 15 highest-paid quarterbacks into different categories, according to the results:

Biggest 2024 bargains

• Jalen Hurts (5.2% of cap): Despite remaining a borderline top-five highest-paid quarterback, the Philadelphia Eagles star won't cost more than $30 million in a season until 2026. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman likes to extend homegrown talent as soon as possible, and this is why.
• Trevor Lawrence (5.6%): It's no surprise Lawrence's finances won't tangibly impact the Jaguars' spending right away, considering he just signed his extension and had two years left on his rookie deal. It's part of the reason Jacksonville still has close to $30 million in cap space for this season.
• Aaron Rodgers (6.6%): Even for a 40-year-old coming off a serious injury, Rodgers is playing at a discounted rate to help facilitate the New York Jets' veteran-heavy playoff hunt. His deal, which runs only through 2025, was even more affordable in 2023, at a reduced $8.8 million cap hit.

Biggest 2024 investments

• Deshaun Watson (22.0% of cap): The Cleveland Browns made a historic (and polarizing) commitment to Watson when they guaranteed $230 million to the ex-Houston Texans star in 2022. Now the bill is coming due, as no top-earning quarterback will command more this season.
• Dak Prescott (21.2%): This is what happens when you let a Pro Bowl starter approach a contract year. The Dallas Cowboys may or may not lock Prescott up long-term, but with 2024 representing the last season of his previous extension, Prescott is due $55 million this year alone -- second only to Watson.
• Kyler Murray (18.2%): The Arizona Cardinals bent to Murray's contract demands after his third season, which is why they're now stuck giving him a top-three cap % amid an ongoing rebuild. The former No. 1 pick is looking to play his first full season in four years.

Biggest multi-year bargains

• Rodgers accounts for an average of just 7.8% of the Jets' cap through 2025, or the life of his existing contract with New York. While he carries lots of questions -- age, durability, etc. -- he could prove to be a financial steal if he flashes his vintage self within the Jets' playoff-ready lineup.
• Lawrence may have made headlines with his $55 million per-year haul, but the truth is he only counts an average of 7.9% against the Jaguars' cap through 2027. His $275 million extension is significantly boosted by supersized $75 million+ cap hits on the back end of the deal, in 2028-2029.
• Hurts is entering his fourth year as the Eagles' full-time starter, but his average cap % is just 9.5 through 2027, or the next four seasons. Should he flirt with an MVP nod again, he could be ripe for a renegotiation, presuming the quarterback market continues to rise.

Biggest multi-year investments

• Watson isn't just a costly figure on the Browns' books in 2024; his deal accounts for an average of 23% per year through 2026, which is the most among all quarterbacks here. In other words, even as the cap rises, Cleveland has committed close to a quarter of its cap to him.
• Patrick Mahomes could reasonably be considered underpaid regardless of his earnings, considering the Hall of Fame-level achievements of the Kansas City Chiefs star. But there's a reason K.C. has turned over his supporting cast: His 10-year, $450 million deal signed back in 2020 accounts for an annual average of 21.3% of the cap through 2027.
• Lamar Jackson just signed his extension prior to 2023, but the Baltimore Ravens standout will count an average of 19.9% against the cap through 2027. That mark is inflated by two $74.7 million cap hits from 2026-2027, which are not guaranteed, making the two-time MVP a renegotiation candidate.

Most team-friendly long-term deals

Note: Nine of the top 15 quarterback deals extend beyond 2027, or the next four years.

• Jared Goff (20.8% cap average through entire contract): The Detroit Lions paid a pretty penny to reward Goff's post-Los Angeles Rams rejuvenation, but the former No. 1 pick's new deal isn't necessarily cost-prohibitive. Detroit can cut or trade him as soon as 2026 to gain cap savings.
• Lawrence (21.5%) , again, is a hot topic for getting such a pricey deal after just three mercurial NFL seasons. But the Jaguars aren't guaranteeing any money in his extension beyond 2027. That essentially gives the 24-year-old four more years -- a new, glorified "rookie deal" -- to prove his worth.
• Murray (22.1%) may cost Arizona a lot right now, at least relative to his production and the team's readiness to contend (or lack thereof). Yet his annual cap hits actually become more affordable after 2026, dipping from $50 million+ to the $40 million range in 2027-2028.

Most expensive long-term deals

• Joe Burrow (24.5% cap average through entire contract):  Among all second-contract quarterbacks with deals extending beyond the next four seasons, Burrow ranks No. 1 in terms of how much his deal impacts the cap. The Cincinnati Bengals star, who's looking to overcome injuries to vie for another Super Bowl appearance, is due at least $46 million in five straight seasons from 2025-2029.
• Josh Allen (23.6%): The Buffalo Bills Pro Bowler doesn't necessarily boast an appropriate per-year salary relative to his MVP-level production, but his 2026-2028 earnings are projected to soar, as he's owed between $48 million and close to $64 million per year during that stretch.
• Justin Herbert (23.4%): The Los Angeles Chargers just got done resetting Herbert's entire skill-group supporting cast, perhaps partly in anticipation of his future price tag. While he's affordable in 2024 (7.4% of the cap, due under $20 million), the former first-rounder has an especially high 2028 cap hit.

In conclusion

Quarterbacks will always be game-changers, both on the field and in the offseason. And, while easier said than done, the key to properly compensating them is doing it at the right time. Ideally, if you're convinced you want to keep your signal-caller, the sooner the extension, the better. The Chiefs and Eagles set good examples here: K.C. acted quickly to extend Mahomes after his first Super Bowl run, and years later, both sides are benefitting; the Chiefs get their legendary leader at a bargain price, yet Mahomes still commands more of his team's cap than most peers. The Eagles, meanwhile, extended Hurts immediately after his own Super Bowl bid, allowing themselves the freedom to spend top dollar elsewhere (see: wide receiver, offensive line) for the foreseeable future. Both cases, of course, involved first acquiring said quarterbacks.

Other clubs have acted quickly, only to seemingly regret it: The Browns, for example, paid a historic price for a perceived upgrade, moving off Baker Mayfield for Watson in 2022, and they continue to champion the latter publicly. Behind the scenes, however, they find their coaching staff and front office indebted to the so-far-fanciful idea of a Watson turnaround, not nearly as able to reward fellow players like Amari Cooper . Still others have avoided some of the headaches altogether, but by continuously throwing darts at the position: Think the San Francisco 49ers , who turned to current starter Brock Purdy , one of the game's top rookie-deal signal-callers, only after dispensing of former Super Bowl starter Jimmy Garoppolo and No. 3 overall draft pick Trey Lance , neither of whom convinced the club for big money in their latter years.

Resetting at the position risks bottoming out, and of course a total loss of job security from the men and women in charge. But sometimes it's a higher-upside alternative than paying for what's known, especially in a market where known commodities are handsomely paid, not so much for their special qualities but their proven ones. In the end, it's a delicate and near-impossible balance of identifying and rewarding star talent at the position, oftentimes as a result of first establishing an agreeable environment for said quarterback. And then comes the hard part of keeping it all together.

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A CITY TREBLE

Why rush when you have all the time in the world?

The Gold Coast will welcome you like an old friend – all marvellous sunsets, golden beaches and incredible high-rises. This will be your base for the first Test in Brisbane.

It’s then off to Melbourne – arty, cosmopolitan, sporty – and just waiting to be explored by eager Lions fans on a city break. Sydney will be the final stop on this adventure, exuding all the style, class and sophistication you’d expect from one of the world’s greatest cities.

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5 Places to Visit for Pride in New York

Check out the new Stonewall visitors’ center, bask on a queer-friendly beach, see works by a pioneering lesbian photographer and revel in L.G.B.T.Q. history in every borough.

The Manhattan skyline is lit up in rainbow colors for Pride Month. But in all five boroughs, visitors and locals alike can enjoy L.G.B.T.Q.-linked attractions, many of them free. Credit... Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

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By Ainara Tiefenthäler

• June 17, 2024 Updated 12:27 p.m. ET

For decades, visitors flocking to New York for Pride every June found plenty of packed bars and jubilant parties but no easy way to engage with the city’s rich L.G.B.T.Q. history.

Even the area around Sheridan Square, the center of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising that catalyzed the gay liberation movement, had little to see for anyone interested in the queer past.

“The guest experience when they got there was a bar, a bench and a park,” said Ross Levi, the executive director of the New York State Division of Tourism . “That isn’t terribly helpful for somebody who comes during the day when the bar is closed. It’s not terribly helpful if you have kids that you want to bring and learn about the history of the area.”

That’s about to change with a new visitors’ center at Stonewall National Monument , in Greenwich Village, set to open on June 28, the 55th anniversary of the night in 1969 when a police raid set off several days of riots. The center will serve as a focal point of the eight-year-old, 7.7-acre monument , which includes Christopher Park and several surrounding streets.

The building that houses the new center sits next door to the current Stonewall Inn bar (which opened in the early 1990s). But back in the late 1960s, an earlier bar of the same name occupied both spaces, which were connected by an interior doorway. Not long after the riots , the original Stonewall Inn went out of business, and the connecting doorway was bricked up.

The storefront next to the current Stonewall Inn stood empty in 2022, when Diana Rodriguez, the chief executive of Pride Live , an L.G.B.T.Q. advocacy group, took over the space. Nail salon chairs from the previous tenant still lined the walls.

Ms. Rodriguez raised more than $3 million, much of it from corporate donors, to build the visitors’ center, which her organization will manage. The center will offer National Park Service rangers working at the monument a much-needed roof over their heads (they currently have to use local businesses’ restrooms) and give visitors of all ages a place to share in the monument’s history through a number of exhibits (free admission).

“My hope is that people come in, learn more about Stonewall,” Ms. Rodriguez said. “And then, at the end of their time here, that they feel compelled to take action.”

The new visitors’ center in Manhattan is just one site that offers a glimpse into New York City’s queer history. Here are four more, one in each other borough.

Staten Island

The Alice Austen House Museum

In 1994, the activist group Lesbian Avengers marched to a charming white cottage on Staten Island’s eastern waterfront chanting, “Alice was a lesbian, and a lesbian she’ll always be.” That house, originally built in 1690, once belonged to Alice Austen, a groundbreaking documentary photographer who captured a quickly changing New York City at the turn of the 20th century. It became a museum after her death in 1952.

What the Avengers were protesting was the institution’s unwillingness to acknowledge that Austen lived there for 30 years with her partner, Gertrude Tate, and used the property as a studio for the many pictures she took of the couple’s nontraditional friend group.

“I felt like it was incredibly important for the house to have a lesbian leading the interpretation,” said Victoria Munro, who took over the museum’s direction in 2017 and has been spearheading the effort to bring to light Austen’s contributions to L.G.B.T.Q. history.

Now, visitors ($5 suggested admission) can admire more than 7,000 of Austen’s works, including photos challenging norms of gender and sexuality, as well as rotating photo exhibitions, often by queer artists, and a garden celebrating the gender fluidity of plants . Lesbian Avengers are back, too: The photographer Saskia Scheffer ’s images of the 1994 protest are being exhibited on the house’s lawn for at least the rest of the summer.

The ‘People’s Beach’ at Jacob Riis Park

For decades, the People’s Beach , a slice of Jacob Riis Park on the Rockaway Peninsula, has been the spot where queer New Yorkers can shed layers and inhibitions without unwelcome stares, piling up so close to one another that it’s sometimes hard to see sand between the colorful towels and sunshades (free admission; $20 daily parking fee).

“It’s very warm, and it’s a real community,” said Timothy Leonard, the Northeast program manager for the advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association , who learned to ride his bike on the boardwalk at Riis and, later, as a teenager grappling with his gay identity, found a sense of belonging on the beach. “It’s just a place of celebration.”

In recent years, the beach, part of Gateway National Recreation Area, has been undergoing some major transformations.

The 1932 Jacob Riis Bathhouse, which was shuttered for decades, is scheduled to reopen next summer, after the completion of an ambitious $50 million development project . The exterior of the Art Deco building and interior tile work are being restored, and new amenities will include hotel rooms, a bar, a courtyard pool and lounge area, and a rooftop restaurant.

Severe erosion has closed some areas of the beach this summer, but that’s unlikely to dampen the queer-friendly spirit, even if the party has to shift down the sand.

Marsha P. Johnson State Park

Marsha P. Johnson, an activist and transgender icon who died in 1992, is not known to have spent time on the Williamsburg waterfront. Yet she made history there, when in 2020 the seven-acre East River State Park was renamed for her — the first New York state park to honor an openly L.G.B.T.Q. person.

“The renaming opened the door to reimagine the park,” said Leslie Wright, the state parks regional director for New York City. The park was remodeled not only to be more resilient against climate change, but also to honor Johnson’s legacy, with input from the local and L.G.B.T.Q. communities, Johnson’s family, and public art consultants.

The park’s entrance is now marked by a colorful ornamental gateway reminiscent of the flower crowns Johnson wore, along with the phrase “Pay it no mind” — her favorite retort, including to a judge who asked her what her middle initial stood for. Signs dedicated to transgender history and awareness line the pathways.

Aside from offering a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline Marsha P. Johnson State Park hosts the popular Brooklyn open-air food festival Smorgasburg (Saturdays) as well as a range of L.G.B.T.Q.-centric events for Pride Month.

Woodlawn Cemetery

Among the many prominent New Yorkers buried in the 400 acres of rolling hills at Woodlawn Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark, are those who contributed to L.G.B.T.Q. history, such as the poet Countee Cullen , a teacher of the openly gay writer James Baldwin ; Herman Melville , whose works like “Moby Dick” and “Billy Budd” are suffused with homoeroticism; and the suffragists Carrie Chapman Catt and Mary Garrett Hay , life partners for decades, who are buried side by side.

“It’s moving to know that there were people who lived these lives very bravely, heroically in the past,” said Ken Lustbader, a co-founder of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project . “Without the support systems that exist today, but paving the way for the visibility and allies that we have today through their actions.”

Each year for Pride, his organization offers a trolley tour of the cemetery, highlighting the stories behind some of the burial sites and making them more visible by placing rainbow flags next to them.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ainara Tiefenthäler is a video journalist with the Visual Investigations team. She was among the recipients of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting for The Times's coverage of the vast civilian toll of U.S.-led airstrikes. More about Ainara Tiefenthäler

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Port Antonio, Jamaica:  The Grammy-nominated D.J. and music producer Diplo recommends spots in a city he loves  on Jamaica’s northeast coast. A dance party makes the cut.

New Mexico:  The Gila Wilderness, home to wolves, mountain lions and other wildlife, marks a century as a “land lab,”  where nature thrives as far as the eye can see.

Greece:  Is Serifos the perfect Greek island? A writer’s checklist included ferry service, great beaches and good local restaurants.

Brooklyn:  This 36-hour itinerary  skips the most touristy and overdeveloped areas, including Williamsburg and Dumbo, and requires no restaurant reservations or advance planning.

Costa Rica:  Travelers are signing up for phone-free tours to try to escape technology’s tether on daily life. But would it make for a better experience ?

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Detroit Lions

Detroit lions | chirco: timing of goff contract proves why brad holmes is nfl’s best gm.

Prior to the Lawrence extension, it was already hard to formulate a sound argument regarding Goff not being deserving of his new deal. Yet, it’s nearly impossible now, with the financial terms of Lawrence’s hefty new deal having been publicized.

As part of the contract, the 24-year-old Jacksonville quarterback is set to earn $55 million per year on average, with 72 percent of his total earnings being guaranteed.

Meanwhile, Goff, who came to terms on a four-year, $212 million deal with Detroit in mid-May, is set to earn an approximate $53M per season. Additionally, just over 53 percent of his contract, or $113.6M of it, will be fully guaranteed.

Then, when you get to the on-field production, Goff also has the edge. And, I’m not just talking about in career accolades – it’d be unfair to do that since Goff started his career five years earlier (with the Rams in 2016).

Instead, let’s compare the numbers of the two quarterbacks since Lawrence joined the NFL ranks in 2021.

In Lawrence’s three seasons as a pro, there’s no doubt he’s been productive. He’s thrown for 58 touchdowns – opposed to 39 interceptions – and 11,770 total yards, while completing 63.8 of his passes. Plus, he led the Jaguars to an AFC South division title and subsequent playoff berth in 2022.

However, in the same time span, Goff has been the more productive of the two signal-callers. The veteran quarterback has thrown for more touchdowns (78) and yards (12,258) along with fewer interceptions (27). Additionally, he’s completed a greater percentage of his passes (66.5), and has led Detroit on more game-winning drives (eight) than Lawrence has with Jacksonville (six).

Furthermore, Goff has also guided the Lions to a division crown, while leading Detroit deeper in the playoffs (the conference championship round) than Lawrence has with the Jaguars (the divisional round).

Sure, Lawrence is younger than Goff, who will turn 30 in October. And, Lawrence’s new deal is less about what he’s accomplished and more about his upside and the potential heights he will lead Jacksonville to in the future.

Yet, the Jacksonville passer’s new contract, to me, still validates the fact that the Lions struck a more-than-worthwhile deal with their franchise passer. And, it’s certainly another master stroke in the work of Brad Holmes as Detroit general manager.

This article was produced by the staff at Sports Illustrated/All Lions. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

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Ranking Brad Holmes' Detroit Lions draft classes: Can Levi Onwuzurike swing the rankings?

Now that minicamp is over for the Detroit Lions and the team won’t reconvene until late July, it’s the perfect opportunity to do things like ... rank Brad Holmes' draft classes. Hey, it’s summer, or almost summer, and content is where you find it. 

Or create it, and what better content than rankings?

For this one, let’s start with a very large man who entered the league three years ago and told reporters “I like (expletive) people up,” and who got me thinking recently about recent Lions drafts.   

Levi Onwuzurike said that the night the Lions drafted him in 2021, talking to a group of reporters on a video conference call. Aaron Glenn chuckled when told what his new defensive lineman had said. The Lions defensive coordinator then followed with this:  

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He better back it up.  

Onwuzurike has not. Mostly because of injury. Now he’s healthy and looking for our favorite thing in sports: "redemption." 

That was the word the fourth-year tackle used last week during minicamp when he met with reporters just off the field. And if he finds redemption — even if he just finds regular, moderately productive minutes on the field, he’ll finally be able to contribute to one of the best NFL draft classes in recent years.  

Onwuzurike was a second-round pick out of Washington, and Holmes' second pick as Lions general manager. For football reasons and for pride reasons, Holmes certainly wants to see the big fella find his way this upcoming season. 

If he doesn’t, if he flames out or doesn’t figure it out until he’s with another team — his contract is up after next season — that won’t dent the success of just about everyone else in his draft class. But it could keep the class from ranking among the NFL's all-time best, an honor it's approaching after just three seasons. 

Holmes selected seven players in that draft in Cleveland. Five of them are starters. Two of them have already earned All-Pro nods — one first-teamer, one second-teamer. Another one appears bound for the Pro Bowl. One — and maybe two — could make the Hall of Fame one day. 

That is a franchise-changing haul for a draft that didn’t include a franchise quarterback (though you’d be surprised how many of the all-time great classes don’t include them, at least if we’re grading on depth and longevity). 

The Lions' 2021 class began with offensive tackle Penei Sewell and ended with running back Jermar Jefferson. In between — and in order — Holmes drafted Onwuzurike, defensive tackle Alim McNeill, defensive back Ifeatu Melinfonwu, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and linebacker Derrick Barnes. 

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A solid draft is finding two starters and two rotation players. A great draft is finding four starters. Holmes found FIVE with this one. 

But they're not just starters. Holmes found difference makers in Sewell, St. Brown and McNeill. Melinfonwu is still showing what he might become. And Barnes helped the linebacking crew last season, most notably with a game-clinching interception to send the Lions to the NFC championship game.  

Sewell, the No. 7 overall pick, might end up being the best player in the entire draft. St. Brown went in the fourth round; if he keeps stacking up seasons like the one he just had, he'll be headed to Canton and a gold jacket at the end of his career. McNeill isn’t at that level, but the Lions believe he has a level beyond the one he showed last season — and last season showed he is very, very good.  

Then again, the class of 2023 may end up pushing 2021's group a few years from now. Already, 2023 has delivered a second-team All-Pro, and two others with All-Pro potential. 

Yes, All-Pro, not Pro Bowl. That’s how promising Jahmyr Gibbs and Brian Branch looked last season at their respective positions: running back and nickel back/safety.  Meanwhile, Sam LaPorta, Holmes' first second-round pick — Branch was the other — made second-team All-Pro at tight end. 

That’s three high-level starters. But wait, the class produced a fourth starter, too: Jack Campbell. And while he may not be as immediately successful as Branch, Gibbs and LaPorta, he made a few plays last season, got better at the end of the season, and played arguably the toughest position of the four: middle linebacker. 

None of the four are likely to be as good as Sewell is at his position, though it’s possible with LaPorta, who set the NFL record for receptions by a rookie TE. Of course, St. Brown set the NFL record for receptions through a player's first two seasons, and just fell short of the three-season mark. For that reason, the 2021 class has the lead for now. 

But it’s early, and Day 2-3 picks Hendon Hooker, Brodric Martin, Colby Sorsdal and Antoine Green still have a chance to be rotational pieces or starters. If that were to happen, then the 2023 class leapfrogs the 2021 class. Rare is the class that hits on every prospect. 

New Orleans did in 2017 — a class, by the way, that included Alex Anzalone; yes, the Lions' Alex Anzalone — when they found seven players that either start or play meaningful minutes. The Saints’ 2017 class is considered among the best in the league by NFL draft analysts over the last 20 years.  

New Orleans drafted three players who made three Pro Bowls and one player who made All-Pro that year. The Lions' 2023 class might rival it eventually.  

The Lions' 2022 class will not, though. This class ranks third among Holmes' first three classes. But 2022 isn't without contributors, either. 

Holmes took a gem at No. 2 overall in Aidan Hutchinson and found a good starting safety in Kerby Joseph in the second round at No. 97 overall. For a season, at least, James Houston looked like a revelation from the sixth round, and sixth-round linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez became a fan favorite thanks to some exposure on HBO's "Hard Knocks."  

Now, if wide receiver Jameson Williams and defensive end Josh Paschal become more than what they’ve been the last two seasons, then the reconsidering will begin again. For the moment, though, the 2022 class, while productive, takes a back seat to the 2021 and 2023 classes. 

And if Onwuzurike hits this season? Well, 2021 will be even harder to catch. If he doesn’t, the class will still go down as one of the Lions' best.  

Contact Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or  [email protected] . Follow him @shawnwindsor .

British & Irish Lions announce itinerary for 2025 Tour of Australia

The British & Irish Lions have today released the nine-match schedule for the 2025 Tour to Australia including three Test matches against the Wallabies.

• Guarantee your place on the Tour, get your Priority Access Pass. 

The British & Irish Lions have today released the nine-match schedule for the 2025 Tour to Australia including three Test matches against the Wallabies. Two years out from the Tour, it’s been confirmed that the eagerly awaited Test clashes will take place on 19 July, 26 July and 2 August. The Lions will travel to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney respectively for the Test matches.

2025 Lions Tour to Australia (kick off times TBC)

• 28 June, Lions vs Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium)
• 2 July, Lions vs Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
• 5 July, Lions vs NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium)
• 9 July, Lions vs ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium)
• 12 July, Lions vs Invitational AU & NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
• 19 July, 1st Test, Lions vs Wallabies, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
• 22 July, Lions vs Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)
• 26 July, 2nd Test, Lions vs Wallabies, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground/MCG)
• 2 Aug, 3rd Test, Lions vs Wallabies, Sydney (Accor Stadium)

The British & Irish Lions will travel throughout Australia with games taking place in some of the most impressive stadiums in world sport.

The Lions will begin the Tour in Perth against the Western Force before facing fellow Australian Super Rugby Pacific sides, the Queensland Reds, the NSW Waratahs, and the ACT Brumbies. The Lions will continue their preparation for the first Test by facing an invitational Australian and New Zealand team in a clash at the Adelaide Oval.

Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the first Test on Saturday 19 July. Following this, a midweek warm up fixture against Melbourne Rebels will take place at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday 22 July.

The second Test will be played on Saturday 26 July at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity of 100,000. A potential sell-out crowd at the renowned venue would be a record for a British & Irish Lions Test.

This Test would also represent one of the highest attendances at a rugby match in history. The final Test will be played in front of over 80,000 fans at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 2 August.

A strong partnership and a common goal between The British & Irish Lions, Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship has resulted in the Lions having a two-week preparation period before the Tour commences, giving the Lions the best chance of regaining the Series on Australian soil, a country where they enjoyed their last tour win in 2013. Further detail around pre-tour activities, including a pre-tour warm up fixture, will be announced at a later stage.

Details on the Tour schedule follow the announcement of major commercial partners for the Tour, with The British & Irish Lions recently confirming global rugby brand Canterbury as official kit provider and the global insurance group Howden as official front of shirt/jersey sponsor . Confectionery brand Cadbury’s and sportswear manufacturer Asics will continue as the Wallabies official front of shirt and kit partners.

The 2025 Tour to Australia promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated tours in history considering the absence of fans for the 2021 Tour of South Africa.

Supporters who want to be part of the greatest experience in rugby can guarantee their place for ticket-inclusive travel packages to Australia with The British & Irish Lion’s own travel company, Lions Rugby Travel.

Priority Access Passes are on sale now which will ensure a priority window on packages when they become available. Passes are fully refundable should you choose not to travel and come off your final balance when you book. To purchase Passes or for more information, click here. 

“We are delighted to announce the Tour schedule today as we look ahead to what is to be one of the most eagerly anticipated Series in history,” said Ben Calveley, CEO of The British & Irish Lions.

“I want to take the opportunity to thank Rugby Australia for the strong level of collaboration in planning for this tour and we look forward to continuing to work with them over the next two years. I would also like to thank Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship, whose cooperation has resulted in the longest preparation period for a tour in recent history, which gives us the best possible chance of a Series victory. We look forward to continuing to work with our hosts and our partners to create one of the best tours ever”.

“As we begin the countdown to Australia in 2025, The British & Irish Lions brand and organisation has never been stronger with a global fan base of some 14 million people, a significant following and strong level of engagement through our various digital platforms, and a wide range of commercial partners comprised of some of the biggest brands and organisations in the world.

Our ambition is to further build upon this position and make this upcoming tour the greatest Lions tour ever, positioning it as the major global sporting event of 2025.”

Ieuan Evans, Chairman of The British & Irish Lions, added: “British & Irish Lions Tours are unique in the world of sport, both in terms of the ultimate challenge they represent and the cultural impact they have.  Lions tours to Australia have always been memorable occasions and the 2025 Tour promises to be no different.

I know how special it is to pull on that famous red jersey in Australia, having toured there during the 1989 Tour. What I have learned from those special games is how important the fans are to roaring us on to victory so to be able to announce ticket package details is very exciting.

“Being a part of The British & Irish Lions means being able to unite and inspire through extraordinary rugby experiences, and working closely with our host partners in Rugby Australia, we believe that we can provide an epic tour that will be a global sporting event not to be missed”.

Commenting on the announcement, Rugby Australia CEO, Phil Waugh said: “The British & Irish Lions Tour is one of the great sporting festivals – it is a real landmark of Australian and world sport. Rugby Australia is looking forward to welcoming back the Lions for the first time in 12 years – as well as the tens of thousands of Lions fans from the northern hemisphere.

It is an exciting fixture of matches all around the country with the Lions taking on our Super Rugby franchises, three massive Test matches, and a marquee match in Adelaide featuring a combined invitational Australia-New Zealand side.”

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