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RFU chief would allow Lancaster to coach Lions

England would release Stuart Lancaster for the British Lions if he was chosen to be head coach for the tour to New Zealand in 2017, the Rugby Football Union’s chief executive Ian Ritchie yesterday.

The decision on the coach is due to be made next year and Ritchie said it would be “an honour” if Lancaster was selected — and pointed out that much is likely to depend on England’s success in the Rugby World Cup which starts next week.

Lancaster’s contract runs until after the 2019 World Cup but Ritchie said the RFU would give him time off if the Lions came calling — as Wales did with Warren Gatland in 2013.

Ritchie said: “The timetable for looking at Lions coaches is into 2016, so no doubt everyone will evaluate that against the World Cup performance.

“We had Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree as assistant coaches on the last tour and I think it’s a great honour to be the Lions coach, so if Stuart was selected and if he wanted to do it, we’d regard it as an honour and of course we’d release him for it.”

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