The British and Irish Lions’ tour to Australia has always been more than just a rugby event, it’s a cultural happening.
A collision of nations, pride, and song.
But this year’s travelling support felt flat. Distant. Muted. And for those of us who remember the tour of 2001, it’s hard not to feel a pang of disappointment tinged with unexpected nostalgia.
Back in 2001, the Lions fans didn’t just arrive, they invaded. The stadiums were seas of red, but more than that, they were alive. The terraces became choirs, echoing with Welsh hymns, Irish ballads, and spontaneous anthems that poured from the soul. Every pub felt like a pre-match rally, every street corner a festival of noise and colour. It wasn’t just support, it was theatre.
And I’ll admit it: at the time, I hated it.
As a Wallabies supporter, I thought they were boorish. Loud, rowdy, unrelenting, more like football louts than rugby fans. I couldn’t wait to see them silenced, beaten, humbled. I thought their passion bordered on arrogance, and I dreamed of them flying home with their red tails tucked between their legs.
But looking at this current tour… I miss them. Desperately.
Today’s Lions fans are well-behaved, sure. Polite. Orderly. And painfully subdued. The once-iconic “Lions! Lions! Lions!” chant now lasts a few seconds before trailing off into awkward silence. There’s no singing. No hymns. No sense of a shared voice shaking the stadium walls. The difference is not subtle, it’s seismic.
No disrespect here, but… where once the fans were a force of nature, now they feel more like spectators than supporters. Engaged, perhaps, but detached. As if they’re watching an event unfold rather than being the event.
Maybe it’s the influence of phones, the corporatisation of tours, or a generational shift. Whatever it is, something’s missing.
The 2001 fans drove the narrative. They created tension. They demanded a response on and off the field. They were insufferable, yes but unforgettable.
So here I am, two decades on, eating a slice of humble pie. Because in hindsight, their thunder made the tour what it was. And without them, this one just doesn’t feel the same.
The Lions are here. But the roar? That stayed home.
The Crowdhttps://https://ift.tt/heQZ0D3 turns to whimper: Lions series bereft of carnival atmosphere as corporate crowd takes over
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