The British and Irish Lions have announced the schedule for their 2013 tour of Australia

Eurosport

The Lions will play three Tests against the Wallabies and nine matches in total over the course of a month.

The first Test will be played in Brisbane on June 22 with Tests to follow in Melbourne and Sydney the following two weekends.

They open their tour with a clash against Western Force on June 5th, and they will take on all five Australian Super Rugby franchises.

Australian Rugby Union chief John O’Neill said: “The Lions tour here in 2001 was an extraordinary event and one which provided significant economic benefit to those cities which hosted major matches.

“A Lions tour is a massive occasion. Behind the Rugby World Cup it is the most engaging, high-profile and popular event our game can showcase.”

Prior to their arrival in Australia, the Lions take on the Barbarians in Hong Kong on June 1.

Lions 2013 tour schedule:

• Western Force, Perth, June 5
• Queensland Reds, Brisbane, June 8
• Combined NSW-Qld Country, Newcastle, June 12
• NSW Waratahs, Sydney, June 15
• Brumbies, Canberra, June 18
• AUSTRALIA, Brisbane, June 22
• Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne, June 25
• AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, June 29
• AUSTRALIA, Sydney, July 6

Rugbyweek

2013 British and Irish Lions tour manager Andy Irvine says they hope to have appointed the coach for the upcoming tour by April or May 2012.

The appointment of the next British and Irish Lions coach will therefore come after the Six Nations giving all the coaches a chance to impress Lions bosses.

Irvine said that the Lions are not against appointing a coach who is not from one of the British and Irish Lions countries but they would prefer to have a coach who is not foreign.

“We could go worldwide but ideally we would like an association with the Lions,” Irvine told MSN Sport.

Irvine did however insist that the head coach role will be a full time commitment to the position from when he is named to the end of the tour so a coach currently employed would need to be released by his Union..

Wales coach Warren Gatland is thought to have a clause in his contract which will allow him to take a sabbatical but that clause might not allow him to take over a year out from his position with Wales.

Irvine said that he did not think that the Lions would have a problem with securing the services of Gatland, Scotland coach Andy Robinson or his irish counterpart Declan Kidney if the Lions wanted them.

“My understanding is that they would all be available,” added Irvine, “which is great news for us because it ensures maximum interest.”