Rugby Union: Extra tours idea ruled out

Despite the resounding success of the 1997 tour of South Africa, future British Lions tours will continue to take place only once every four years, the chairman of the Four Home Unions' tours committee Ray Williams said yesterday.

While complimenting Martin Johnson side on their 2-1 series victory, Williams warned against allowing tradition to be cheapened by frequency of matches.

"I'm totally opposed to Louis Luyt's innuendo that the Lions should tour more often," Williams said. "There is a danger here that we could kill the goose that laid the golden egg."

But Lions coach Ian McGeechan believes they should play more often. "We have to establish a level above the Five Nations and I would like to see the Lions playing at home as part of a structured season," he said.