Warren Gatland lined up for one more Lions Tour
- 1561
The British and Irish Lions are set to reappoint out going Wales head coach Warren Gatland for a third time for the 2021 tour to South Africa, according to The Sunday Telegraph.
The report from the Telegraph claims that the Lions board agreed at a meeting two weeks ago that the 55-year-old was its "outstanding candidate", and hopes to agree to terms with the Grand Slam winning coach within a month.
Gatland was a member of the staff during the lost series to South Africa in 2009, and it's understood he's keen to avenge the defeat. He went on to lead the Lions to a series victory in Australia in 2013, before earning a draw over three games against the All Blacks in 2017.
Newly appointed Lions chairman Jason Leonard is expected to lead the negotiations, which are expected to begin within days.
"Warren is our number one choice. He understands the Lions and the unique challenges of touring," a senior Lions source told the Sunday Telegraph.
"He has already proven his ability to put together a successful touring squad, not just in picking form players but also the right kind of personalities and characters that make the Lions so special.
"His track record with Wales speaks for itself, and the brilliant thing for the Lions is that he will have no distractions in the build-up to the South Africa tour and there will also be no complications connected to hiring him from one of the unions.
"It is important that we get the deal done as quickly as possible to allow him quite rightly to concentrate fully on Wales' World Cup preparations."
The report adds Gatland would start the role after taking a six-month break following the World Cup.
Gatland has expressed his desire to return to New Zealand after the World Cup but has also been linked to coaching roles with England, Australia and Chiefs.
The report also suggests that if he were to accept the role with the Lions, Gatland could still be in line for the England job with Eddie Jones retaining the role until the end of the 2021 tour to South Africa.
