Lions CEO John Feehan on tour size, player welfare and rest

The Lions: building an unrelenting brand (while arguably flogging rugby players in the process on a seven week summer tour across the most unforgiving rugby landscape on planet earth).

A day spent in Carton House surrounded by more PR, marketing and logistical folk than journalists provides an insight into the mass invasion New Zealand can expect come June 2017.

They are coming.

Now, the playing party will not be as sizeable as the failed 2005 venture, not to begin with anyway, and the squad, where possible, will remain one living breathing organism as this juggernaut rolls from Whangarei to Auckland.

No, the ultimately failed experiments of Clive Woodward's excursion to Aotearoa 12 years past have been noted and will be avoided. The company is built on more solid foundation nowadays. For example, in place of Alastair Campbell there will be a phalanx of red tinted helpers.

Gatland will be at the centre of it all. The Kiwi usually offers an interesting appraisal of whatever issue gets laid at his feet. From the durability of George North to Johnny Sexton to All Black physicality and officiating, Gatland is an eternal talker.

But, make no mistake, the British and Irish Lions four year cycle is a corporate machine.

That’s how it has survived professionalism – by generating millions of pounds.

John Feehan is chief executive officer of both the Lions and Six Nations. Last week Feehan revealed the introduction of bonus point system next spring, while on this day the hat was easily reversible to reveal his Lions apparel.

Gavin Cummiskey: The Six Nations bonus point system might help to bring northern hemisphere rugby on a par with the southern hemisphere?

John Feehan: In some ways. They have structured their rugby in an extremely positive way and that's fine while we have something that has worked really well for well over one hundred years. The fact of the matter is you mess with something like that at your peril. It is so important to rugby overall that the Six Nations stays strong and vital. That's why we were very reticent, I suppose conservative, to make change but we believe on balance this is going to positive for us.

GC: Would it be damaging to the Six Nations, as a brand, to move it from its current place in the calendar?

JF: You could easily move it a couple of weeks but a couple of months would make a big difference, it could significantly hurt the commercial opportunities that are available to the Six Nations. It has its place. Other sports don't come at us in our window because we are there.

GC: Twelve years ago the Lions went to New Zealand, and it proved an unsuccessful tour. How vibrant is the Lions brand in 2016 when compared to 2005?

JF: In 2005, 29,000 people went down from our part of the world. We have huge ticket sales, jersey sales. That said we have never seen the level of interest this time compared to any other tour. It is just phenomenal. Our website has over 7,000,000 views in the last three months, which is ridiculous when you think about it. The tour isn't until next summer. We have made it relevant and vibrant. Commercially it is doing very well. The travel programme is almost sold out.

GC: What are the numbers?

JF: We think it will be about 29,000 again. We wouldn't bring all those people, a lot of people get their tickets locally. How they do it I don't know. Officially we will bring about 10,000.

GC: How much pressure did the Lions tour come under after the 2005 tour?

JF: I think the general public believe in the Lions. We have lost many a series in the past. We are not going to get it right every time. I think they will forgive us if we try to play positive rugby. How much of a threat? If we contined to have two or three more tours like that I think the patience would have run out. But we didn't. We turned it around, although we lost the series in South Africa we were very competitive. That is the key of the Lions tour – people want to see us perform.

GC: Talk about the future of the Lions in terms of schedules, there is no tour like it anymore size wise...

JF: There never has been...

GC: Player welfare – a massive concern in the game now – you hear concerns from clubs about this massive tour throughout June and July, is that sustainable going forward?

JF: There is a huge goodwill from all concerned. Everybody wants the Lions to succeed and not just us but Sanzar needs it, wants it. It not only makes a lot of money for them but it raises the profile of rugby in those countries. Going back to 2005, I remember New Zealand rugby union talking to me before the tour took place that they were a bit worried about soccer and some other sports catching up with rugby. But it absolutely refocused the country on rugby again. Why? Because they were not used to 20-30,000 people come into their country to have a party. It just brought back all the values of rugby. I think for those reasons the Lions will have a place in the future.

GC: No doubt about that, for the financial and social aspects you have mentioned, but player welfare wise the players are coming off an 11 month season to go on a seven week tour, is that sustainable?

JF: It is. The players get rest when they come home afterwards. You'll find the Irish players didn't play until well into the following season...

GC: Which does have an impact on the provinces...

JF: Yes, but in any given side there might be one or two players. So, in the final two tests of the Lions series Leinster might have one or two players involved. It is spread pretty much all over the British Isles. Player welfare wise we have a second to none medical team on tour, we have full back up, full disclosure, we make sure we sign off on them when they come off tour in the proper way. If they [are still injured] we make sure they are supported afterwards. The players can be handled in the right way. Just remember if they don't go on a Lions tour they go on a June tour.

GC: What you are saying is valid but this concern is coming from professional conditioning coaches on the ground in the clubs, who say that a seven week tour is not sustainable after an 11 month season.What's the Lions response to that?

JF: It is a reasonably big squad and a player is unlikely to play any more than four or five games on tour. It is not like somebody will be out there playing 10 games. Player welfare remains extremely important to us. We have sent players home in the past. We won't endanger any player's welfare.

GC: On the flip side, is it necessary for the tour to be this long to ensure the correct preparation is in place to face the All Blacks?

JF: Just in terms of preparation to play the best side in the world, away from home, with a scratch side that has never played together before, you need a certain level of preparation to do that, no matter how good the players are. Otherwise you will kill the Lions. If we don't have enough preparation time, quite frankly, we won't be competitive. Now you can argue how long that preparation time is, but the reality is the Lions will be the biggest sporting event of next year in the British Isles. For that reason alone it is extremely important for rugby – it lifts all the boats, it brings everybody up. And it is a great source of joy. People love it. For that reason alone we have to make sure it continues. And I'm sure it will.