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During the current tour of Australia, Lions officials put pressure on the Wallabies to release more high-profile international players for the tour matches amid concerns about how competitive they would be.<\/p>\n
The Lions beat Australia’s four Super Rugby teams by an average of 27.5 points, before sealing a series win with victory in the first two Tests against the Wallabies.<\/p>\n
Benazzi says France has no intention of disrupting the usual rotation of Lions tours, which alternate between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa every four years.<\/p>\n
Instead he hopes the new global calendar, that begins next year with the first edition of the biennial Nations Cup, will create opportunities.<\/p>\n
“Of course, we don’t touch the legacy in the south – you keep that,” added Benazzi.<\/p>\n
“We have a lot of projects. We want to see what to expect with the United States – maybe we have a possibility to play there – maybe in Paris or London. We are just thinking about ideas.<\/p>\n
“If you have a link between two institutions then it’s easier to project what we want to do – a warm-up before the tour, a special game maybe every four years as well, in our own countries or outside for development of the game.”<\/p>\n
A full-scale Lions tour of France is an enticing prospect.<\/p>\n
France’s national team, who won this year’s Six Nations, are the strongest they have been for a generation.<\/p>\n
At club level, Toulouse, Bordeaux-Begles and La Rochelle have won the past five editions of the Champions Cup, while the likes of Toulon, Racing 92 and Clermont Auvergne also offer high-quality, multi-national squads and atmospheric venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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