Sir Ian McGeechan has backed Ireland coach Andy Farrell to become the British and Irish Lions head coach for the 2025 tour of Australia.

Farrell is a former Lions defence coach whose current Ireland contract runs until the summer of 2025.

“Absolutely, yes,” Sir Ian said when asked if he sees Farrell as a potential Lions head coach.

“When I spoke to him I did mention it. He is just great at drawing players together and [it is] so important on a Lions tour that you get the chemistry and you get the players to come out and show what they can do.

“He has shown that superbly well with the Irish squad. It is exactly what you need from a Lions coach and, yes, for me he would be favourite.”

Ireland ‘a very different team now’

Sir Ian had four tours in charge of the Lions between 1989 and 2009, and was also an assistant on the 2005 tour.

Farrell has previously been linked with the Lions job, with Irish Rugby Football Union performance director David Nucifora saying last year that the IRFU would be “ecstatic” if he was appointed to role.

The former England assistant’s current Ireland team are ranked number one in the world and last Saturday secured an outstanding Dublin win over France in what has been labelled one of the best matches in Six Nations history

With the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France on the horizon in September, Sir Ian spoke positively about Ireland’s chances of success, saying that he believes this squad is different to previous Irish teams that have flattered to deceive when expected to do well at World Cups.

“I think it is a very different team and squad now,” he told BBC Radio Ulster’s Sportsound.

“They are very well organised off the field, I think David Nucifora has done a lot in the pathway, in bringing players through. They have an outstanding coaching group and I think the other thing Ireland have done is have an A team, and blooded players in South Africa.

“Ireland are doing all of the things which I just think, looking back, make so much sense in developing players.

“Even the experience of players such as Johnny Sexton and keeping him fit but actually having genuine options in so many positions, and having had 18 months of just outstanding rugby.

“I enjoy watching Ireland play. I enjoyed the New Zealand tour and I did say to Andy Farrell that I think he has done a tremendous job with them. And, when you have people like Paul O’Connell working with them, you are looking at an atmosphere and an environment which is very different collectively to what Ireland have had in the past.”

However, with the potential of Ireland meeting hosts France – ranked number two in the world – in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Sir Ian said he believes the draw for the tournament should take place much closer to its start date.

“I would still like to see a World Cup draw only 12 months before the tournament or 18 months maximum because that makes it a fairer tournament.

“It is a tough half of the draw but are Ireland going to be easy to beat? No. I think, as they have shown in this last 18 months, that they are capable of adapting their game on the field and winning in different ways. For me, they are the most complete team in world rugby at the moment.”