The Lions will tour Australia and New Zealand in three years' time, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) announced yesterday. ARU managing director John O'Neill said the Lions would play four Tests in the year 2000 - two against Australia followed by two against the All Blacks.

The Lions last toured Australia in 1989 when they won a three Test series against the Wallabies 2-1. They toured South Africa this year, also winning the series 2-1. O'Neill said the Lions would return to Australia and New Zealand in 2008.

The ARU also announced that Australia would make `grand slam' tours to Britain and Ireland in 2000 and 2004. Australia's last grand slam tour, involving Tests against the four home nations, was in 1984 when Mark Ella set a record by scoring a try in every Test.