REPORT: Lions series against the Springboks WON'T be three tests

It is thought the tour to South Africa is now a non-starter owing to a lack of vaccine programme with the Mail saying the RFU, WRU, IRFU and SRU are hugely in favour of hosting the tour on home soil.

The Lions have now reportedly made an official request to the Government to underwrite a home 'tour' this summer.

The Lions board, however, are now increasingly confident the tour will proceed this year and it's now being suggested that a fourth test, played in Dublin, could be added to the schedule.

A final decision on this summer’s tour will be taken by the end of March with officials increasingly keen to host it on home soil in front of live audiences.

 The other possibility being explored is to move the entire series to Australia. The Australian Rugby Union are offering to stage the tour Down Under and have claimed they can ensure a £10million profit, based on state backing.

Capacity: 82,000

 Initially built to host the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it has gone on to host many other large-scale events, such as the Tsunami Relief Cardiff concert, the Super Special Stage of Wales Rally Great Britain, the Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain and various concerts.

Capacity: 90,000

It opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium hosts major football matches including home matches of the England national football team, and the FA Cup Final.

Capacity: 82,000

It is the world‘s largest rugby union-specific stadium, the second largest in the United Kingdom behind Wembley Stadium, and the fourth largest in Europe.

Capacity: 51,700

It is built on the site of the former Lansdowne Road Stadium, which was demolished in 2007, and replacing it as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the Republic of Ireland football team.