Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan is being earmarked to lead the Lions' tour to South Africa in 2009, with his England counterpart Clive Woodward the favourite for the job in New Zealand in two years' time.
O'Sullivan remains Woodward's main rival to take on the All Blacks in 2005, although Ian McGeechan, three times a Lions coach from 1989-1997 and who takes over as Scotland's director of rugby in December, is an outside bet.
"Our preferred option is to have a British or Irish coach in 2005," said the Six Nations committee's chief executive John Feehan, a policy that would rule out the current coaches of Wales and Scotland; New Zealand's Steve Hansen and Australia's Matt Williams respectively.
All the pointers suggest Woodward will be invited to lead the tour in 2005, with O'Sullivan waiting in the wings in the event of the England coach not wanting the job, and with the hint he will take charge for South Africa.
The choice has been limited by the Six Nations committee's decision not to appoint an overseas coach for 2005 after the failure in Australia under the New Zealander Graham Henry two years ago. But they have decided not to adopt a recommendation that a national coach should not be considered because of the possible conflict of interest and the time factor.
