For the 2013 Lions tour to Australia, Warren Gatland was given a 10-month sabbatical from his role as Wales head coach so he could take the Lions head coach job.
His absence saw success for Wales. They won the 2013 Six Nations under the guidance of Rob Howley and Shaun Edwards, only losing the opening game of the tournament to Ireland.
That success, despite missing the Kiwi, appears to have made the Welsh Rugby Union amenable to allowing Gatland take time off from his main job to once again lead the Lions, this time to New Zealand for 2017.
In December Gatland agreed to extend his stay with Wales until after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
According to Wales Online, Gatland's contract features a clause which would allow him to take time off for the Lions job. Earlier this week, Lions manager John Spencer said that would certainly be a requirement for anyone wishing to take the post.
The man who led the Lions to success in Australia is also the leading candidate for the role.
Lions CEO John Feehan told Sky Sports:
It would be absolutely ludicrous of me to say that Warren would not be the leading contender - he clearly is.
If he is involved it will be a third tour for him, he has a record that is pretty much second to none in the northern hemisphere and so he has to be the leading contender.
This would appear to be good news for Ireland. As head coach to the winners of the previous two Six Nations, Joe Schmidt would be a leading candidate for the job. If he wanted it, and got it, he could possibly miss the 2017 Six Nations.
Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
