Former England boss Stuart Lancaster could be set to join Warren Gatland’s Lions team in South Africa next summer.
The 50-year-old has not coached at Test level since his England team were dumped out in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup on home turf.
However, since then Lancaster has impressively repaired his reputation over in Ireland with Leinster.
“I’ve spoken to Stuart and we’ve had a couple of conversations,” Gatland told the Will Greenwood Sky Sports podcast.
Stuart Lancaster could return to international rugby with British and Irish Lions | @alexspinkmirror https://t.co/oOGqp6USY8
— Mirror Sport (@MirrorSport) August 4, 2020
“I think you’ve got to take your hat off to Stuart.
“He finished with England, then he’s gone away and he’s done some professional development; gone around and looked at other sports, and then he’s taken up this role with Leinster.
“We met before the last tour and he spoke to me about his opinions on the Leinster players and the Irish players and gave me an insight into them and I appreciated that.
“He’s definitely one person that I’ve spoken to and had a couple of conversations with him, but there’s a number of other people that I’ll be looking to talk to.
“The first step is to get clarity from unions and the bosses and then potentially club CEOs about who is available, who isn’t available.”
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UPDATED | British & Irish Lions predicted 2021 starting XV, according to the bookies
Odds are accurate on Wednesday,3rd July, 8am, and are subject to change.
Fullback: LIAM WILLIAMS (Wales 4/7)
Other contenders: Stuart Hogg (Scotland 4/6), Jordan Larmour (Ireland EVS), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales 5/1), George Furbank (England 7/2)
Left wing: JONNY MAY (England 1/25)
Other contenders: Jacob Stockdale (Ireland 1/3), Adam Radwan (England 40/1), Jack Nowell (England 11/4), Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales 13/8)
Outside-centre: JONATHAN DAVIES (Wales 1/3)
Other contenders: Henry Slade (England 5/6), Garry Ringshow (Ireland 4/6), Jonathan Joseph (England 13/8), Chris Harris (Scotland 20/1), Huw Jones (Scotland 6/1)
Inside-centre: MANU TUILAGI (England 1/3)
Other contenders: Robbie Henshaw (Ireland 5/6), Hadleigh Parkes (Wales 5/4), Sam Johnson (Scotland 9/2)
Right wing: JOSH ADAMS (Wales 1/18)
Other contenders: Anthony Watson (England 4/6), George North (Wales 2/1), Elliot Daly (England 10/11), Joe Cokanasiga (England 3/1), Keith Earls (Ireland 9/2)
