Editorial: Lucky to score a Lions match

British and Irish Lions captain Brian O'Driscoll fends off Bay of Plenty's Alan Bunting in their opening tour match played at the International Stadium in Rotorua, 2005.

How good is the news that Rotorua will play host to the British and Irish Lions game when the combined team return to New Zealand soils in 2017?

While the announcement of the tour schedule has copped some flack for the lack of provincial games, Rotorua can celebrate its inclusion as the host of the traditional battle against the Maori All Blacks.

Anyone who was in Rotorua when the 2005 tour opened here will remember the atmosphere that came when the fans rolled into town - an atmosphere that hasn't been matched since.

And then there were the economic spinoffs that came hand-in-hand from the supporters who knew how to have a good time and were determined to make the most of what, for many, was the trip of a lifetime. Spare beds were tough to find, bars extended their opening times and shop keepers reported one of their best weekends in a long time.

While the return may still be two years away, Rotorua is being given plenty of time to make sure this Lions tour is one to be remembered too.

The tour gives us a chance to put Rotorua in the spotlight in a unique way. Not only to the fans who will be passing through and undoubtedly return home with plenty of tales to tell, but also to the media who will also descend as part of the tour.

And let's not forget about the actual game which will be a great chance for us locals to see world class footy on our doorstep - and experience the thrill that such a tour brings.

Last time, in my pre-child days I was there at the airport with banners welcoming poster boy Jonny Wilkinson to the city and indulging in the after match festivities with fans and the odd team member. This time around, I'll have an 8-year-old son to drag along to his first big rugby game.

I, for one, can't wait.