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To date, fewer than 80,000 fans have witnessed the 2009 Lions strut their stuff.
The 12,352 rattling around the 42,000-capacity Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace for the was put down to the superior attraction of the Super 14 final taking place in Pretoria the same day. Fair enough.

But the 22,218 inside Johannesburg's 60,000-capacity Ellis Park, the 23,710 (48,000 capacity) at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein and Wednesday's 21,530 at Durban's (52,000) ABSA Stadium were not great adverts for the Lions' enduring appeal.

Nor are the sparse crowds likely to have gone unnoticed in circles as they contemplate South Africa's bid to host the 2015 World Cup, for which England are also in strong contention.

Reasons given for the stadiums being less than half-full range from the impact of the recession in Britain, Ireland and the host country, to supporters not being enamoured by the prospect of watching an international side take on effectively second-string provincial sides shorn of their own top stars.

That trend will continue on Saturday, when the Lions face a Western Province side missing four Springboks including Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers, four more injured players and another quartet "nursing niggles" ahead of the .

It is doubtful whether rousing pre-match speech before facing Western Province 12 years ago - "Don't under-estimate the effect you will have winning here. This is one of the hot-beds of South Africa rugby" - will strike quite the same chord this time.

They will, though, include a few fringe Springboks in centre Peter Grant, wing Gcobani Bobo and flanker and captain .

The son of anti-apartheid activist Daniel "Cheeky" Watson, the talented 25-year-old was not selected by former Boks coach Jake White until he was forced by political interference to add him to his World Cup squad in 2007, when he won his sole cap.

Watson said last year that the Springbok jersey "made him want to vomit", which can hardly have increased his selection prospects.

Current said recently he didn't want to give Watson "false hope" by selecting him for the Lions series when he only considers him third-choice number eight at best behind Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski.

But whatever your views on Watson, De Villiers' decision to keep his leading players out of the Lions' firing line until the Tests is proving a huge point of debate.

Many of the 1997 Lions thought the same policy then back-fired on the hosts and it is interesting to hear forwards coach Warren Gatland say the current Lions are at least partially pinning their hopes on the hosts being "under-done" again this time.

But despite facing another under-strength opposition again on Saturday, the good news is there should at least be the first decent size crowd of the tour.

A stadium official said today she expected the 51,500-capacity , one of the most atmospheric grounds in world rugby, to be "almost full" for the first of two visits the Lions will make their on this tour.

Tickets are priced at 285 rand (around £23) for seats and 135 rand (£11 approx.) for standing areas if you are still hoping to get along.

Two things to look out for if so: 28 members of the Royal Marines rugby team in outlandish fancy-dress (precise nature of which uncertain at time of writing) and a - signed by the whole squad and myriad Lions legends - swaying above supporters heads in one of the stands.

The shirt, which weighs 23kg and cost £100 in excess baggage, will be unveiled for the first time at Newlands and then at every Lions match for the rest of the tour.

The Marines, meanwhile, many of whom are just back from a stint in Afghanistan, are playing three matches in the Cape Town area over the next fortnight.

So if you're here to support the Lions and fancy taking in a bit more rugby, they will be playing at SK Warmers RFC at 1000 on Saturday, 13 June, before the WP game, at False Bay RFC on 15 June (1800 KO) and Hamiltons RFC on 22 June (also 1800 KO). Good luck to 'Twiggsy', Gareth, Stu and the rest of the crew.

Judging by the volume of supporters accompanying me on BA flight 59 out of Heathrow on Wednesday night - plus player and coaching reinforcements in the shape of Ryan Jones and Neil Jenkins - this Lions tour is about to go up a notch or two.