This year’s Lions tour has been laden with negative coverage of how the tourists have endeared themselves to (or otherwise) to the Australian public. With disputes on the strength of touring sides, blocking players from lining out and the general negativity surrounding the standard of the Wallabies, it feels this tour has been as memorable for off-field storylines as much as on-field ones.

Do the Lions need to be popular in their host country? Does any of this matter so long as the Lions win? Are we really talking about the demise of tours to Australia?

Host Nathan Johns is joined by sportswriter at the Sydney Morning Herald, Jonathan Drennan.

Read about the Lions tour: irishtimes.com/sport/rugby

Produced by John Casey.

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