An eight-team tournament in which the Six Nations sides will be joined by Japan and Fiji will replace the previously planned autumn internationals.
According to the Mail Online and BBC, the competition will kick off on the 4th November – two weeks after the final round of the 2020 Six Nations is completed.
The tournament will be staged on four consecutive weekends until 5 December, with each team facing their equivalent in the other pool on the final weekend, with the venue to be decided.
According to BBC Sport, England will face Wales, Ireland and Fiji in one group, with the latter two fixtures at Twickenham and the venue of the first game still to be decided.
Official confirmation of the schedule and the venues is expected in August.
Here are the groups that have been drawn up.
POOL A
- England
- Wales
- Ireland
- Fiji
POOL B
- Scotland
- France
- Italy
- Japan
JOIN THE RUCK:
LIST | 4 rugby superstars who MASSIVELY underachieved on Lions tours
Despite being built up to play starring roles for the British & Irish Lions, sometimes it simply doesn’t work out…
1. Stuart Hogg (Scotland) – 2017
After touring with the Lions in Australia four years previously, the Scotland fullback was tipped to be one of Warren Gatland’s key men when they faced the All Blacks in 2017.
However, starting against NZ Provincial Barbarians in the tour opener, Hogg was given a four out of 10 after he made ‘many errors’ and butchered a simple try scoring pass to Anthony Watson in a poor display.
One week later, despite a much improved opening 20 minutes, Hogg was injured after being caught by the elbow of team-mate Conor Murray in an accidental collision, with the superstar departing the tour before the start of the Test Matches.
More down to the pre-tour hype than his poor performance alone, this was so disappointing.