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New Zealanders Are Opening Their Doors To British And Irish Lions Supporters

New Zealanders Are Opening Their Doors To British And Irish Lions Supporters

​Let the banter ensue.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Whenever a big event is being held in a city, accommodation usually gets snapped up in an instant.

Even with Airbnb and Couchsurfing, people are still finding it tough to find a roof over their heads to watch their favourite band or team.

That's exactly what British and Irish Lions fans found when they started looking for places to stay in New Zealand when the two teams go head to head in June.

The tour will see the Lions play against the All Blacks and several Super Rugby teams in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Dunedin and Whangarei.

Accommodation is either fully booked or comes with a hefty price tag.

Adam Gilshnan, however, decided that rugby fans deserve a place to stay that didn't break the bank, so he set up the 'Adopt A Lion' initiative.

adam gilshnan
adam gilshnan

Credit: Adam Gilshnan

Adam told LADbible: "I felt that it wasn't a very good look for New Zealand as a country, especially as these rugby loving fans would have been saving so hard to get out here, only to find themselves now unable to find or afford any hotels and motels within their budgets."

He befriended a group of Lions fans in Christchurch during the 2005 tour and welcomed them into his home and showed them around the city to make them feel welcome.

Since starting the Facebook page in January, Adam has received more than 800 offers from Kiwis who want to open their doors to Lions fans.

lions
lions
lions 2
lions 2
lions 3
lions 3

"The response when I put this out to Kiwi's has been nothing short of incredible," said Adam.

"As well as having offers in the big centres where the matches are being played, we also have offers from Kiwis in parts of New Zealand where they are hours away from any venue, but they know the Lions fans will be travelling around, so they still want to 'adopt', and make the fans feel welcome and show them some Kiwi hospitality.

"The offers vary from a couch at a student flat, to a cabin on a rural farm, or downtown city apartment. Some of the places on offer have to be seen to be believed, it's amazing.

"Some are being offered to get picked up from train stations or airports, driven to games and picked up again. Some are offering cooked breakfast or BBQ's and beers before the games, it's mind boggling what is being offered, and all for free."

Adam hopes the project will generate 'plenty of banter and craic' because there's a great respect between the Kiwi and the Lions fans.

He's also tipping Dunedin and Christchurch to be special places to watch the games - but it will all depend on how the competition is faring for each side

"I had no real expectations on whether or not Kiwis would get in behind it, I knew some would, but I think where it's got to now has blown me away a bit. The generosity of my fellow Kiwis is amazing, and I'm really humbled by the way people have got in behind it."

lions fans
lions fans

Credit: PA

At the end of the day, what Adam hopes most is that Kiwis and Lions supporters link up and appreciate the game of rugby.

He says: "We know the matches will be very competitive, but away from the rugby, we'll welcome the fans with open arms, we'll celebrate and commiserate together, and the bond between our two sets of fans will be strengthened more so than it is already.

"New Zealand will be Lions crazy during the tour, and it will be a celebration of rugby no mater what the results are."

Adam has also set up location specific Facebook groups to help those looking for who still need a place to stay:

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: New Zealand, Rugby