Farrell's favourite to lead the Lions

THERE has been little cheer for rugby in Australia in recent years, but the prospect of a Lions tour is always enough for the glass-half-empty brigade to imagine it full to the point of overflowing.

- PAUL REES

The itinerary for the nine-match tour in 2025 was announced last week. It will be self-contained with no stop-off en route by the tourists to visit one of the South Seas islands, or a start in Hong Kong as they did before their last trip to Australia in 2013.

That tour was hugely significant for the Lions whose future was coming under threat following the unsuccessful and undignified visit to Australia in 2001, the humbling in New Zealand four years later and a third straight series loss in South Africa in 2009.

The series was 1-1 going into the decider in Sydney. Head coach Warren Gatland sent the Emerald Isle into uproar when he dropped Brian O’Driscoll, vindicated when the Lions roared home 41-16 with the Ireland centre’s replacement, Jamie Roberts, scoring the last of their four tries.

It was Gatland’s first tour as head coach having been in charge of the forwards in 2009. He led the Lions to New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa two years ago, but Ireland's Andy Farrell is the favourite to be appointed for Australia.

The Lions will start, as usual, in Perth where they will face Western Force at the end of June. Unlike previous trips, they will be at full strength because the Premiership clubs have brought forward the date of their play-off final to ensure all the squad will take a full part in training before departure.

The Reds and Waratahs follow in Brisbane and Sydney respectively before the relatively short trip to face the Brumbies in Canberra.The final Saturday match before the Test series is against an invitational Australian and New Zealand XV - shades of the Anzac match at the end of the 1989 tour - at Adelaide Oval, a venue not often used for rugby but which staged two matches in the 2003 World Cup.