With a daunting eight-match tour of South Africa awaiting them, Warren Gatland’s side have one final warm up as they take on the Brave Blossoms in Edinburgh. Read on as our guide explains how to watch the British and Irish Lions vs Japan online and get a live stream from anywhere in the world – including absolutely free in the UK!
While the match will not feature players taking part in today’s Premiership final between Exeter Chiefs and Harlequins at Twickenham, the match should nevertheless give an early indication as that Gatland’s plans for his starting line-ups before the squad head to Johannesburg.
The Lions Lions have had some notable drop-outs coming into this clash thanks to injuries, with Hamish Watson the most notable after the Scottish flanker suffered a training ground concussion.
The match marks Japan’s first ever encounter with the Lions, and with 10 of their starters from their 2019 World Cup quarter-final set to be on the field at kick-off and likely eager to pull off a shock, this could prove a much sterner test than its friendly billing suggests.
Follow our guide as we explain all the ways to get a British Lions live stream wherever you are right now.
How to watch British and Irish Lions vs Japan online in the UK
The great news for rugby fans in the UK and Ireland is that this match is set to be the first Lions game to broadcast on terrestrial TV in 30 years, with the Lions against Japan being shown absolutely FREE on Channel 4.
Coverage starts at 2.15pm ahead of the 3pm kick-off, and you can also watch online via Channel 4’s All4 streaming service.
If you are indeed watching online, you can do so on your laptop, or via apps for the likes of Android, iOS, PS4, Xbox, Roku, Amazon Fire.
Not in the UK for the British and Irish Lions vs Japan? No worries – residents of the country can just download and install a VPN to port themselves back home to a UK location, then watch live as usual.
How to live stream British Lions when you’re not in your country
If you’re outside your country of residence – whether that be the UK or anywhere else – and try to start streaming the rugby via your native broadcaster, you’ll soon discover that you can’t, as it’s location restricted. But there is a way to tune in regardless.
By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it’s back at home. That way you can enjoy your home coverage without having to find an illegal stream – assuming you comply with the broadcaster’s fine print, of course – specifically its terms and conditions.
Use a VPN to watch British and Irish Lions vs Japan from anywhere
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Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three…
1. Download and install a VPN – as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN
2. Connect to the appropriate server location – open the VPN app, hit ‘choose location’ and select the appropriate location
3. Go to the broadcaster’s live stream – so if you’re from the UK, just head to All4
Live stream British and Irish Lions vs Japan: how to watch the match live in Ireland
While viewers in Ireland can also tune into Channel 4’s coverage of the match via Sky or cable, free-to-air domestic broadcaster Virgin Media Two will also be showing the game live, with coverage starting on the channel a little earlier at 2pm.
Watch online using Virgin Media Player – or check out its TV Anywhere app, which is available for nearly all modern devices including smartphones, tablets, computers and more.
Not in Ireland for British and Irish Lions vs Japan? Enjoy the same craic-ing coverage you would at home with the help of a good VPN as per our guide above.
Live stream British Lions rugby in South Africa
Springboks fans looking to get an early viewing of their team’s forthcoming opponents can watch today’s match via subscription service SuperSport.
Kick-off for this warm-up match is at 4pm SAST.
If you’re away from the TV you can also watch the action via the network’s streaming service for PC and Mac as well as via SuperSport’s dedicated app.
If you want to catch SuperSports coverage but are out of the country, you can use a VPN.
How to watch the British and Irish Lions vs Japan free online and live stream rugby in the US
NBC Sports has the rights to show this pre-Tour warm-up match for the Lions.
Watching rugby on NBC used to mean coughing up the best part of $80 for an NBC Sports Gold Rugby Pass, but not anymore. NBC’s Rugby Pass has been absorbed into its excellent new streaming platform, Peacock TV, which makes rugby more accessible to US fans of the sport and ex-pats living in the States than ever before.
For starters, Peacock costs just $4.99 a month for an ad-supported service that gets rugby fans not only the Lions Tour 2021 but also features Premiership Rugby and Heineken Champions Cup coverage as well (plus loads more premium sports coverage, TV shows, and movies). Alternatively, you can pay a $10 a month for commercial-free coverage.
And best of all, Peacock even offers a FREE 7-day trial you can take advantage of.
This match kicks off in the States at 10am ET / 7am PT on Saturday morning.
If you’ve already hopped on the Peacock bandwagon but are abroad during the 2021 Lions Tour, don’t forget that you can still tune in like you at home with the help of a good VPN.
How to watch a Lions Tour live stream in Australia
Streaming service Stan has a bit of a coup on its hands after snapping up exclusive live broadcast rights Down Under for the entire British and Irish Lions Tour, including this warm up match. The streaming service will be showing the games on its new Stan Sports platform.
It’s a 12am AEST late night start for rugby fans looking to watch this match Down Under.
A Stan subscription currently starts at AUS$10 a month, with the Stan Sports add-on costing a further AUS$10 a month.
However, the service is currently offering a FREE 7-day trial of the add-on, which if timed right, should allow you to watch a couple of the Tour matches for nada.