Lions may go outside home pack for coach

NEXT YEAR’s British and Irish Lions coach could be unveiled in four weeks, with a strong possibility that the candidate could be drawn from outside the current coaches of the four home unions.

The chief executive of British and Irish Lions Ltd, John Feehan, expects a decision to be made early next month, as speculation intensifies on who will lead the Lions on their tour to South Africa next summer.

There is a possibility the Lions committee may opt for someone outside the home unions coaches — including former Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan — though Wasps director of rugby, Ian McGeechan, is favourite to reprise the role for a fourth time.