Last Updated: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:34
Coach Ian McGeechan feels future Lions touring sides need more time to prepare if they're to return victorious from their summer trips.
The cream of the home nations threw away a sizeable lead to go down 28-25 to the Springboks in Pretoria on Saturday and squander the series 2-0.
The tourists' preparations had been hit by several withdrawals through injury from the initial squad, while a number of players have flown home from the trip with injuries.
And McGeechan made it clear that he feels the Lions need more help from the various home unions if they are to beat the best that the southern hemisphere has to offer every four years.
"If they give the Lions a fair crack, the Test series will always be very meaningful," he said. "I just wish more of these people who don't want to make time for the Lions would actually come out and experience a tour. I don't think they understand the impact.
"For the players they represent, they should make it work. If you speak to any player in Britain and Ireland, this is where they want to be and the jersey they want to wear."
The veteran Scottish coach wants the authorities to look at ways of giving more time for Lions preparation, which, he believes, would be beneficial to all concerned.
"Somehow, going forward, they have got to make that easier to happen and if you do that you will probably make the preparation easier to win a Test series," he added.
"That is to everybody's advantage, whether it is Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. The two biggest things in the international calendar are the World Cup and Lions tours. If we could respect that, the preparation would help the next coach."