Rugby: Andy Irvine in line for Lions tour

Scottish rugby legend Andy Irvine is emerging as principle contender to manage the 2013 British and Irish Lions on tour in Australia.

And the former Heriot's and Edinburgh full-back/wing today declined to rule himself out after being named in a report circulating south of the border in rugby's trade press.

Irvine said: "It is a possibility but early days yet (in the planning process)."

While Irvine, who works for Capital property firm Jones Lang La Salle, was unwilling to be drawn on whether the post would interest him the 58-year-old, who is currently chairman of the Lions committee formed between the four constituent countries, did drop one hint, saying: "It is just somebody putting two and two together and they might get four.?.?. or they might get seven.

"We've not even had our first meeting of the season yet."

Reticence on the part of Irvine is obviously understandable but many will consider him prime candidate for such a prestigious honour filled last time round by Welshman Gerald Davies.

Besides a glittering career that earned him a then record of 51 Scotland caps and tours with the Lions to South Africa (1974 and 1980) as well as New Zealand (1977) Irvine moved seamlessly into administration.

Indeed, a second term as president of Scottish Rugby was seen as reflecting his business acumen at a time when the Murrayfield regime were required to extricate the game from a financial morass. Following on from his stint as President, Irvine helped organise last year's Lions tour of South Africa. He is also a director of the Bill McLaren Foundation.

The Lions 2013 tour will be historic in that it is expected to begin with a match in Hong Kong before a series of three Tests in Australia.