THE keen anticipation of this year’s British Isles tour to New Zealand is reflected in sales of the replica jersey. Adidas, the manufacturer, says that it is its second best-selling replica shirt, outstripped only by that of the Real Madrid football team. So popular is it that some stores have had to introduce waiting lists.

The shirt was launched in October, several months earlier than those for previous tours. By Christmas alone, more shirts had been sold than in the entire run-up to the 2001 tour. That year, many fans were disappointed because retailers failed to anticipate the demand. This time, the orders have kept on coming. The UK and Ireland are the predominant markets, but internet companies report sales all over the world.

During the tour itself, adidas, which also manufactures the All Blacks’ jersey, plans to make a shirt that is half-red and half-black as a one-off commemoration of the trip. It hopes that it will prove popular among those fans who travel to New Zealand as a way of demonstrating that they made the journey in support of the Lions. It may also appeal to fans of the All Blacks, who will not be able to welcome again the team to their shores for a further 12 years.

Adidas is considering making the Lions shirt available in the years between tours, as with other international and club replicas, although some argue that this would devalue the currency, the infrequency of tours being a large part of their appeal. But in these consumer-driven days, perhaps adidas cannot be blamed for maximising its sales if fans keep up the demand.