Twelve months ago, not too many punters would have bet against Eddie O'Sullivan being named the next Lions coach.
But a year is a long time in professional rugby, and while the former Ireland coach's star faded dramatically, the stage is now clear for Ian McGeechan to take the reins for next year's tour of South Africa.
The identity of the man in charge will be revealed on May 14th and the director of rugby at Wasps is the hot favourite to land the coveted role.
The Lions have 10 matches scheduled in South Africa, including Tests against the Springboks in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg between June 20th and July 4th.
Other fixtures include appointments with the Emerging Springboks, Western Province and the Sharks.
If, as expected, 61-year-old McGeechan lands the job, it will be his fifth Lions tour as a coach. He coached the Lions in Australia (1989), New Zealand (1993) and South Africa (1997), winning two of those three Test series.
McGeechan also took charge of the Lions midweek side on the 2005 trip to New Zealand under Clive Woodward.
McGeechan, meanwhile, has described the International Rugby Board's proposed law changes as "illogical and very short-sighted".
McGeechan said: "If you don't want to contest the lineout, you can put two players in, pull down the opposition, and string the other forwards across the field.
"It's probably the end of the short lineout and of the maul. Two players can go in and pull it down, the others join the defensive line. A good maul attracts players to it and creates space elsewhere. It's illogical and very short-sighted."
