FARRELL SET FOR LIONS TOUR

WARREN GATLAND will reveal his Lions backroom staff on Wednesday, with Rob Howley, Andy Farrell and Steve Borthwick set for the tour to New Zealand.

The head coach is set to pick his Welsh colleague Howley as the attack coach after Gregor Townsend rejected the chance to tour, preferring to begin his tenure as Scotland boss on their Australia trip.

Howley successfully ran the attack in 2013, when the Lions beat Australia 2-1.

And Farrell will go on his second tour. After leaving his post with England, damned by association with failures of the World Cup, he has excelled with Ireland who became the first side to beat New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in the same year since England in 2003.

Borthwick’s star continues to rise. He has only coached for a couple of years but will be selected to run the forwards in New Zealand, after having a big impact with England and Japan under Eddie Jones.

Mike Catt could well make the backroom team too. He joined Conor O’Shea in the Italy set-up this year after leaving England at the end of 2015.

Gatland will announce his choices in Dublin on Wednesday as he steps up his preparations for the tour in June next year.

The New Zealander will be boosted by the home nations’ strong showings in the autumn internationals, especially as Ireland proved the All Blacks are not unbeatable.