Manchester United have completed their first signing of the summer and the first of the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era at Old Trafford with the arrival of Daniel James.

How long that era lasts will depend, in part, on how successful United are in the transfer market and James, a 21-year-old winger from Swansea City, is the opening act of a summer designed to rebuild and rejuvenate a squad that only finished sixth in the Premier League last season.

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James has joined in a £15 million deal that could eventually rise to £22m if a series of add-ons are met. It is an arrival that gives an insight in Solskjaer's preferred plan of targeting young British players with potential after Jose Mourinho's tactic of splashing out on more established stars like Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku.

Where has he has come from?

James started kicking a ball at Bull Field in Brough, Yorkshire -- often playing against teenagers when he was half their age. As a schoolboy he split his time playing for South Hunsley High School and Hull City's academy, where he trained three times a week after joining as a nine-year-old. At 16, he turned down the chance to sign scholarship forms at Hull in favour of a move to Swansea, with the Welsh side paying £72,000 in compensation under Elite Player Performance Programme rules.

After making his reserve debut at 16, he made his first-team debut for the Swans in February 2018 and enjoyed his breakthrough season last term, scoring four goals in 33 games in the Championship as the club finished 10th.

Position

A winger with lightening pace, he can play anywhere across the front. Primarily right-footed, he had some of his best games for Swansea on the left. He started on the left wing for Wales against Croatia on Saturday but can also play centrally as a No.10.

"I know the United fans will get behind him and enjoy watching him," said Wales manager and former United winger Ryan Giggs.

"It's fantastic for everyone I think. For Dan, for Manchester United, and it's a good deal for Swansea as well. It's the biggest club in the world so my message to him is enjoy the challenge, don't be anyone else, and you'll be fine. United are getting an exciting and fantastic player."

Strengths

His pace. Last season, he officially clocked a top speed of 36 kilometres per hour -- just shy of Arjen Robben's world record of 37km per hour.

"Parallels can perhaps be drawn between the signing of Lee Sharpe and the proposed arrival of Daniel James at Manchester United some 31 years later," said an article on United's club website. "Sharpe may have joined from Torquay United, on this day in 1988, rather than second-tier Swansea City, who were a Premier League side very recently, but he was an exciting capture from the lower divisions whose primary asset was his explosive pace."

Stoke midfielder and Wales team-mate Joe Allen said James' performance in the 3-1 defeat at the Liberty Stadium was one of the "best individual performances I have ever seen," adding: "He was electric. He scored and got two men sent off and caused carnage all game. That was the day that probably sealed the potential Man United move."

And, ahead of their game with Wales, Hungary manager Marco Rossi had an interesting comparison for the winger. "James' speed reminds of Usain Bolt -- to be so fast like him is really incredible," he said. "In the last ten years I don't remember one player that gave me this sensation. His acceleration is so peculiar, which is why Manchester United have bought him."

Weaknesses

James has shown flashes of his talent and has plenty of potential but he's still very inexperienced. He's yet to play a Premier League game and has only had one full season in the Championship behind him.

In the summer of 2017, he joined League One Shrewsbury Town in what was supposed to be a season-long loan deal, but on Aug. 31 Shrewsbury announced the agreement had been terminated and James would return to Swansea. He failed to make a first team appearance for Shrewsbury and was only included in a matchday squad once.

As recently as January, Leeds United thought they had agreed a £1.5m loan deal with an option to buy this summer for £8.5m. Swansea pulled the plug at the last minute and will be happy they did after watching James improve drastically during the second half of the season before eventually sealing a more lucrative move to United.

Where he fits in

Solskjaer has only been at United for six months but has already shown that his blueprint includes a forward line full of pace that can attack quickly when they win the ball. James is built to worry full-backs and play on the break and many of Solskjaer's most impressive results after replacing Mourinho came away from home when his team counter-attacked.

Initially, though, James will be forced to wait his turn. United already boast an attack that includes Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard and it is likely James will be used as an impact substitute while he continues his development.

Big Picture

Well, we won't be seeing a repeat of that warm-up game. For one, the weather's being a pest. The UK Met Office predicts at least 50% chance of rain in Nottingham on Thursday.

But just for a moment, let's dare to dream. We know Trent Bridge no longer entertains outlandish notions like an even contest between bat and ball. So maybe it's a good thing that the forecast is for grey skies. It'll add even more spectacle to what Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah can already do. This World Cup has offered some tasty cricket, especially when conditions are tilted in favour of the bowlers. And both these teams have batsmen capable of standing up to such a test.

ALSO READ: Mitchell Santner - the X factor is in his instinct and his bravery

India's top order has been an immense strength for them but it's been in a bit of flux heading into this game with Shikhar Dhawan injured and KL Rahul expected to take his place.

That's no big advantage to New Zealand because their opening partnership has been among the least productive since the 2015 World Cup. They rely on their middle order for most of their runs, but even there India have them beat because they have the better quality hitters. Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni are perfect to build on the typically good starts that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli give them.

So, to even things out, let's have a grey, gloomy, non-rainy, bowler-friendly day and watch who can rise above.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)

India: WWLLL
New Zealand: WWWWW

In the spotlight

KL Rahul has started to become an all-purpose fix-it kind of player. At Kings XI Punjab this IPL, he was given the role of anchor. For the same team in the previous IPL, he was asked to forget about everything and just go berserk. For India, he's the back-up opener, but then showed he has the game to be their No. 4 bat. That really is the thing here. Rahul has the game - when he's switched on he can even find a way through those nasty inswingers that keep getting him out and that's why he's able to adapt to all the roles given to him. Just a question of staying switched on.

ALSO READ: Aakash Chopra on what India need to do to beat New Zealand

Tom Latham might understand those sentiments. He too is an opener by trade but has had to take up a middle order position because New Zealand needed stability there and he's got the skills to tackle the kind of bowling most No. 5s usually face - spin, spin and more spin. Plus, he's taken on wicketkeeping duties as well and has become a very safe presence behind the stumps.

Team news

The only question around the Indian team is who will come in at No. 4. Vijay Shankar was the first batsman to hit the nets. Is that enough of a hint that he'll make his World Cup debut?

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Dinesh Karthik/Vijay Shankar, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Colin Munro was worked out the last time these team teams played against each other, so there may be a case of having Henry Nicholls back as opener. Plus, seeing as Tim Southee is fit, he could make a return to the XI, if only because of his record against Kohli: 188 runs, 179 balls and five dismissals.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro/ Henry Nicholls, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 James Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Colin de Grandhomme, 9 Tim Southee/Matt Henry, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent Boult

Pitch and conditions

This game will be played on a fresh strip, one that is more centrally located and therefore helping even out the boundary distances. They'll still be short though and that's why most teams prefer chasing here. But if you truly do prefer setting a total, just know that, since July 8 2015, the average first innings score that's resulted in a win is 390. #GoooooodLuck

Strategy punt

• Hardik goes at a strike rate of 114 in his first 20 balls. Out of all the batsmen that have scored at least 500 runs since the last World Cup, that is the absolute best and that is why he is so dangerous. He hits from from ball one; hits any kind of bowling from ball one. But New Zealand might just have a way to get the better of him. His head-to-head with Trent Boult reads 32 runs in 35 balls and three dismissals.

• Attack Kane Williamson with spin. He's got a very modest record against all the options India might consider throwing at him: 53 runs in 69 balls and two dismissals against Yuzvendra Chahal, 18 runs in 25 balls and two dismissals against Kuldeep Yadav and 64 runs in 81 balls and two dismissals against.... drumroll please... Kedar Jadhav.

Stats and Trivia

• Kohli needs 57 runs to complete 11,000 in ODIs. And considering he'll only be playing his 222nd innings, he will be the quickest to the mark, beating Sachin Tendulkar who took 276 innings to get there.

• Ross Taylor has been New Zealand's best ODI player for the past couple of years - average 79 - and he'll be ultra-crucial against India because of his record against spin: 87 runs in 101 balls and one dismissal against Chahal, 42 runs in 47 balls and no dismissals against Kuldeep

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears' kicking competition experienced another setback on Tuesday, and it wound up costing one player his job.

The Bears waived kicker Chris Blewitt on Wednesday after all three kickers that participated in Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice missed their respective 42-yard field goal attempt in front of the entire team and approximately 25 Bears alumni that gathered at the team facility to watch the workout.

"Um, whatever went through your mind went through my mind," Bears head coach Matt Nagy said of the poor kicking results.

"Yeah, no I mean that's about as real as it gets. They were 0-for-3 out there. For today, we can't have that. We are going to figure this thing out but 0-for-3 today, no good."

Blewitt's release leaves Eddy Pineiro and Elliott Fry as the two Chicago kickers currently under contract. The Bears are scheduled to hold two more minicamp practices before the team breaks for the summer.

The Bears are expected to report to training camp in late July, where the kicking situation will undoubtedly be one of the major story lines for a club looking to repeat as NFC North champions.

"We talk it through and we figure it out and we do everything we possibly can to make sure that in the end when we get to the very end, we have the right guy there," Nagy said.

The Bears have actively searched for a new starting place kicker since the club cut Cody Parkey, who missed eight kicks last season, including the infamous 43-yard double-doink at the end of Chicago's heartbreaking 16-15 playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

British javelin record-holder gains medal following disqualification of Russia’s Mariya Abakumova

British javelin record-holder Goldie Sayers will belatedly receive her 2008 Olympic bronze medal in front of a home crowd at the Müller Anniversary Games on July 20.

Following a re-evaluation of Games samples in 2016, Russia’s Mariya Abakumova was disqualified and her original silver medal-winning position invalidated.

Sayers, who finished in fourth in the competition, was elevated into the bronze medal position after the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed Abakumova’s removal in 2018.

Her medal will be presented early afternoon on July 20, immediately before the main Diamond League event programme commences at the Anniversary Games.

“I’m thrilled to be receiving my medal in front of a home crowd in such an iconic stadium,” said Sayers, who announced her retirement from athletics in 2017.

“It means so much to me to be able to share this special moment in front of friends, family, coaches and teachers who all supported me for so many years during my athletics career.

“I would love to have as many people in the stadium to share this amazing moment with me.”

Britain's Andy Murray hopes to return to the singles court before the end of the year, but thinks he is unlikely to be ready in time for August's US Open.

The former world number one, who had his hip resurfaced in January, is due to play doubles at Queen's Club next week.

Murray will partner Feliciano Lopez at the Fever-Tree Championships in London.

But the 32-year-old says he still has "quite a lot of work to do" before he can be competitive in singles again.

"It's baby steps just now," Murray said.

"I'm feeling good, pretty much pain free and enjoying just training, practising, improving all the time just now.

"I don't think when Wimbledon finishes that I will just step on to the singles court the following week and everything's good.

"At this moment I've been progressing all of the time. At some stage it's probably going to plateau for a while before I'm able to kick on.

"I hope at some stage this year I would be able to get back to playing singles again. I'm not really interested in putting a time limit on it because I'm quite happy just now.

"So I don't need to play singles after Wimbledon or at the US Open to - you know, enjoy doing what I'm doing just now.

"If I can, that would be brilliant, but I don't think that's going to be the case. I think it's going to take a bit longer."

Murray has not played competitively since losing to Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round of January's Australian Open.

No player has ever resumed a singles career after the operation Murray had, although American doubles player Bob Bryan returned five months after the surgery in 2018.

Murray has had a few singles practice sessions since being given the all clear to increase his workload three weeks ago. One of those practices was with this year's Australian Open quarter-finalist Frances Tiafoe at The All England Club.

Murray is avoiding extended rallies for the moment, but hopes to be able to focus more on singles after Wimbledon, where he is expecting to compete in the doubles.

"I have done some singles training drills with my coach," Murray said.

"Earlier on I was hitting with singles players but I was more stationary. I was moving them rather than them moving me about.

"So I have not played proper singles. I am hoping that will come more after Wimbledon."

The WTA has confirmed that Amazon has won the exclusive rights to broadcast the women's tour for the next four years.

Amazon's online channel Amazon Prime, which already has rights to 39 ATP men's events, will broadcast a minimum of 49 tournaments in 2020.

Hot and humid in Cairo as ElShorbagy turns up the power
By SEAN REUTHE in Cairo

The penultimate day of group stage action at the 2018-2019 CIB PSA World Tour Finals saw all six matches go the way of Egypt as defending champions Mohamed ElShorbaby and Nour El Sherbini impressed in front of their home fans at Cairo’s Mall of Arabia.

ElShorbagy, the men’s World No.2 who is looking to win this tournament for the third successive time, has guaranteed himself top spot in Group B after he defeated Germany’s Simon Rösner 11-9, 11-4 to ensure he qualifies for the semi-finals with a 100 per cent record.

The group stages and semi-finals are held using a round-robin, best-of-three games format, and ElShorbagy added to 2-1 victories over Peru’s Diego Elias and World No.3 Tarek Momen to book his spot in the last four.

“It’s good to keep the momentum going,” said 28-year-old ElShorbagy (pictured). “Each player had a rest day throughout the event, and if I had to choose before the event, then I definitely would have chosen the one after the group stages. Having the rest day let me know that I was going to go full power today and I can regroup for the semis now.

“There is always room for improvement, even if I think I have been getting better every day. I feel like each player didn’t play their best on the first day because we are all trying to get used to the conditions. It’s very hot and humid and it completely changes the dynamic, and from the second day we have all stepped up a level. I think we’ve all played better and it has set the stage for some great semi-finals.”

Elias and Momen will meet in the final fixture from Group B tomorrow (June 12), with the winner of that match joining ElShorbagy in the semis.

Meanwhile, World No.4 Karim Abdel Gawad moved four points clear at the top of Group A as he beat top seed and World No.1 Ali Farag 11-9, 11-8. The two players had met five times this season, with Gawad winning just one of those battles.

However, the former World Champion put in a relaxed performance to continue his strong run in Cairo, taking all eight points on offer so far after he also beat New Zealand’s Paul Coll 2-0 yesterday (June 10).

“Playing Paul [Coll] yesterday and Ali today are two of the toughest players on tour,” said Gawad.

“They are both very fit, Ali is No.1 in the world, so he is playing amazing squash, he has been beating me the whole season. This is only the second time for me to beat him this season, I had to grab one by the end of the season at least.”

Meanwhile, World No.7 Mohamed Abouelghar joined Farag on four points after sweeping aside Coll. The 25-year-old was in imperious form as he powered to an 11-3, 11-6 victory and he will play Gawad tomorrow.

Gawad requires just a point to qualify, while if Farag finishes level on points with Abouelghar, he will go through due to a superior head-to-head record.

A 2-0 win for Gawad will see him qualify top, while Coll wouldn’t be out of the running just yet in that scenario. If he went on to beat Farag 2-0, he would finish on four points along with Abouelghar and Farag, meaning it would go down to percentage of points won to decide who reaches the last four.

Points won percentage will also decide the qualifiers if Abouelghar and Farag both win their matches 2-0 as they will join Gawad on eight points. In that scenario, whoever has the highest points won percentage out of those three players will qualify.

In the women’s event, defending champion Nour El Sherbini kept her title defence alive as she got the better of World No.5 Nour El Tayeb 2-0 in a repeat of the PSA World Championship final.

World No.2 El Sherbini lost her opening Group B match to World No.7 Sarah-Jane Perry, but she joins the Englishwoman on four points after defeating El Tayeb 11-5, 11-7.

“I was really disappointed after the first match,” said El Sherbini (pictured) following her win. “I had a lot of support from my team, my parents and all of my family. I tried to change all of the negatives into positives, I just wanted to enjoy and play today and try to win.

“On the first two days it was very bouncy and hot, but today it is a bit windy. Both conditions you have to deal with the court and play the match, but the court is good for me and it’s good to have a venue like this to play in.”

British Open champion Nouran Gohar sits at the summit of Group A with five points courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Perry as she bounced back from a 2-0 defeat to El Tayeb in the previous round of fixtures.

Gohar will play El Sherbini tomorrow, with the winner of that match qualifying for the semi-finals.

“We haven’t played since 2017 in Chicago, she came back superbly and has a really good spirit,” Gohar said.

“I love the way she plays and it was a tough match. Tomorrow will make a big difference. If there is someone that is really difficult to play against then it is Nour [El Sherbini], she has everything, she’s the complete player. She has so much experience, she is a three-time World Champion, but again I have nothing to lose and I’ll be the underdog and we’ll see what happens.”

Perry and El Tayeb will contest the group’s other showdown, and it will be a straight shootout for a semi-finals berth, with the winner of that contest advancing to the last four.

In Group A, World No.1 Raneem El Welily guaranteed top spot after dispatching New Zealand’s Joelle King 2-0, meaning King finishes bottom of the group. That means France’s Camille Serme and Wales’ Tesni Evans will do battle for second place tomorrow.

The fight for the coveted semi-final berths draws to a close today in the final day of group action. Play begins at 19:00 (GMT+2) and will be shown live on SQUASHTV (rest of world), Eurosport Player (Europe only) and the official Facebook page of the PSA World Tour. 

CIB PSA World Tour Finals 2019, Mall of Arabia, 6th of October City, Cairo, Egypt.

DAY THREE
Men’s Group A:
[4] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [1] Ali Farag (EGY) 2-0: 11-9, 11-8 (39m)
[8] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [5] Paul Coll (NZL) 2-0: 11-3, 11-6 (27m)

Men’s Group B:
[2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt [6] Simon Rösner (GER) 2-0: 11-9, 11-4 (25m)

Women’s Group A:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [5] Joelle King (NZL) 2-0: 11-7, 11-7 (19m)

Women’s Group B:
[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 2-0: 11-5, 11-7 (25m)
[6] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 2-0: 11-8, 11-9 (34m)

TODAY (June 12)
Men’s Group A:
[3] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [7] Diego Elias (PER)

Men’s Group B:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [5] Paul Coll (NZL)
[4] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [8] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)

Women’s Group A:
[4] Camille Serme (FRA) v [8] Tesni Evans (WAL)

Women’s Group B:
[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [6] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v [7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)

Report by SEAN REUTHE (PSA PR and Media Manager). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
 

Pictures courtesy of PSA

Former Ireland and British & Irish Lions fly-half Ronan O'Gara has been appointed head coach at French Top 14 club La Rochelle.

O'Gara will take up the role after leaving New Zealand club Crusaders at the end of the Super Rugby season.

The Corkman has been attack coach at Crusaders for the past two seasons.

O'Gara's La Rochelle position will see him working under the club's director of rugby - former Ulster head coach Jono Gibbes.

La Rochelle reached this season's Top 14 semi-finals and European Challenge Cup Final but needed a new head coach following Xavier Garbajosa's move to Montpellier.

After the Munster man's playing career ended, O'Gara spent almost five years in assistant coaching roles with French club Racing 92.

"He [O'Gara] knows the Top 14 well, he has experience. He will bring a high level of skill," said Gibbes.

The Irishman had the option of staying on in his Crusaders role for a third season.

O'Gara said last month that he had held talks with Munster but had told the Irish province he wasn't interested in a backroom role with the management team of Johann van Graan.

With 128 caps, O'Gara holds the record for the most points scored for Ireland and holds the fourth highest total points haul in the world.

He played for the British and Irish Lions in their 2001, 2005 and 2009 tours and also captained Munster, Ireland and the Lions.

Scotland players need to maintain the levels shown in this year's dramatic Twickenham fight back if they are to have a chance of British and Irish Lions selection, says Scott Hastings.

Warren Gatland will lead the tourists for a third successive time when they travel to South Africa in 2021.

The Wales head coach did not start a single Scot in the 2013 and 2017 Tests.

"The reason he has not picked Scotland players is that they have not delivered," said former Lion Hastings.

"They have not performed on a consistent enough basis to merit selection.

"The last time we saw the desired level of intensity was in the second 40 minutes against England. If Scotland can reach those intensities, then Scotland will have players on the Lions tour."

Scotland recovered from 31-0 down against England to earn a remarkable 38-38 Six Nations draw in March. However, Gregor Townsend's men managed just one victory in the Six Nations, finishing 14 points behind Gatland's Grand Slam winners.

"There is a great opportunity for Scottish players now and I hope a number of these guys really stand up over the next couple of years," said former Scotland centre Hastings, who toured with the Lions in 1989 and 1993.

"They need to perform in the Pro14 and the European stage and be on the top of their game against their opposite numbers in the Six Nations. These are the people you are competing with for places."

Gatland oversaw a winning tour of Australia in 2013 and a drew the series in New Zealand four years later.

There were three Scots in his original squad for 2013, with lock Richie Gray appearing as a 67th-minute replacement in the final Test. In 2017, there were two Scots in the original squad, with no Test match involvement.

Hastings described Gatland as a "hand in glove fit" for the job and thinks the New Zealander may well have a role in mind for Townsend in South Africa.

Townsend turned down an offer to be part of the Lions' coaching team in 2017 since it clashed with him taking over in time for Scotland's summer tour.

Hastings believes the Scotland head coach will be "on the radar", saying: "The beauty of rugby is it's all about blends. Who are the innovators? Who does Warren want to have as part of his team? I'm sure Gregor will be part of that thinking."

Former World Rugby player of the year Brodie Retallick has signed a new deal with New Zealand Rugby that will see him take a break from the All Blacks.

The 28-year-old second row will leave New Zealand after the World Cup later this year to play two seasons in Japan, including an extended family break.

He will return to the All Blacks set-up in May 2021 through to the following World Cup in 2023.

Retallick said he made the "big decision" to "give his body a break".

"I'm grateful to be able to have the opportunity to head over to Japan and experience not just the rugby but for my family and to be immersed in another culture," he said.

"I've been playing high-octane rugby with the Gallagher Chiefs and All Blacks since 2012, and while I've loved every minute of it and my workload has been managed well, I've decided to give my body a break from the New Zealand game, so that ultimately I can extend my career here."

Like England, the All Blacks have a policy of not selecting players who have moved abroad to play club rugby.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said: "While there's a playing sabbatical during that time - and Brodie will no doubt be missed - it also gives the future All Blacks coaches the opportunity to build even more depth in that position.

"I congratulate NZR on being inventive in their contracting process, as there would have been many offers for him to leave permanently."

Warren Gatland has been confirmed as head coach of the British and Irish Lions for a third time.

Gatland, currently Wales coach, will take charge in South Africa in 2021, having already presided over a series win in Australia in 2013, and a draw in New Zealand four years later.

The 55-year-old New Zealander is standing down as Wales boss after the World Cup this year.

He will officially start with the Lions in the summer of 2020.

"I'm hugely honoured and delighted to lead the Lions again," said Gatland, who becomes just the second man in history - after Sir Ian McGeechan - to take charge of three tours.

"It is exciting and a great challenge. The Lions rightly have a truly special place in the game and I jumped at the chance to be involved again when I was approached about the role."

Gatland in focus

While Gatland will take a short break after his 12-year Wales stint, it is understood Lions chiefs are investigating the possibility of him acting as a coaching consultant in between jobs, before starting with the Lions in August next year.

"I'm delighted to now have everything in place to begin full-time in August 2020 as that gives me the best possible chance to plan for South Africa, but for the time being my focus is entirely on the World Cup and delivering a successful campaign for Wales," Gatland added.

Lions managing director Ben Calveley says they have the "best coach in the world" signed up, and an early appointment allows time for Gatland to be closely involved in planning for the series against the Springboks.

"Naturally he was our first-choice candidate from the start of the process," explained Calveley.

"Appointing him two years ahead of time ensures Warren can also be involved in planning the logistics and scheduling elements of the tour.

"I'm looking forward to working alongside him to give the Lions the best chance of success in South Africa. The supporters are central to what make the Lions special, and with the world's finest coach at the helm, excitement will grow even further."

Major structural shake-up

Gatland will not confirm his assistant coaches until much closer to the tour, but it is believed incoming Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is already being targeted after his leading contributions in 2013 and 2017.

The Lions are also keen on succession planning, with Farrell being earmarked as a potential head coach for the tour in 2025.

Either way, the Lions are set for a major structural shake-up.

The old-fashioned tour manager model is to be disbanded, with Lions bosses keen to modernise the concept, which would lead to a reconnection with more recently retired ex-players.

England World Cup-winning prop Jason Leonard, who went on three Lions tours, has already come on board as chairman - and possibly tour manager.

"We may be playing away in the heartland of South Africa, but I am confident that yet again, we will have enormous support and they will feel like home games," said Leonard, who was part of the last winning series against the Springboks in 1997.

"As a player it made all the difference, and now I can't wait to be part of the famous sea of red enjoying the tour of a lifetime."

The long-term agreement with Sanzaar (the governing body that represents Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina) has also expired, providing an opportunity to start afresh and to negotiate individually with the relevant southern hemisphere union, in an attempt to avoid the scheduling issues which have dogged previous tours.

There is also renewed optimism about working with the English clubs, with Calveley in regular dialogue with his Premiership counterparts.

Gatland's previous Lions tours

Australia 2013 results:

First Test - Australia 21-23 Lions

Second Test - Australia 16-15 Lions

Third Test - Australia 16-41 Lions

Lions win series 2-1

New Zealand 2017 results:

First Test - NZ 30-15 Lions

Second Test - NZ 21-24 Lions

Third Test - NZ 15-15 Lions

Series drawn