Sir, - Is it not time that the IRFU did the decent thing and showed some dignity by withdrawing from Lions tours from now on? The Irish representation on the present tour is so small as to be irrelevant and merely adversely affects the more worthwhile development tour.
The UK media did at least attempt to be politically correct when Ciaran Fitzgerald was Lions captain by referring to the touring party as the "British and Irish Lions" or simply the "Lions" before systematically undermining the aforementioned captain. However, the current tour has been largely referred to so far as "the British Lions" in the UK media and indeed full-page advertisements by Sky TV refer to following Britain abroad.
It would appear that the presence of a few token Irishmen on the great British adventure is of no consequence from a rugby or public relations perspective. I fail to see what Irish rugby has to gain.
Yours, etc.,
Didsbury,
Manchester.