The New Zealand Barbarians will face the Lions next year to kick off the tourists' eagerly-awaited tour.
The June 3 fixture was originally earmarked as a Provincial Union XV. It will be in Whangarei, the team made up of mainly Mitre 10 Cup and Heartland Championship players.
It represents something of a coup for the Barbarians club. This will be the highest profile home match in the club's 80-year history and a chance to impart some knowledge about what the club does and stands for.
There was a feeling that, after the Barbarians' well merited 34-17 win over the Maori All Blacks at Eden Park last year, the club deserved its moment in the sun.
"This is great for us. It's the culmination of some years of hard work by the likes of [former Barbarians presidents] Mike Mills and Bryan Williams," says club president and former All Blacks prop Ron Williams.
"New Zealand Rugby is recognising the work the Barbarians do for grassroots and, in particular, secondary schools rugby."
Williams played for North Harbour against the 1993 Lions.
