Ian McGeechan is reconsidering his vow not to coach the British and Irish Lions again by thinking of leading the 2013 tour of Australia.

Ian McGeechan is reconsidering his vow not to coach the British and Irish Lions again by thinking of leading the 2013 tour of Australia.

McGeechan was adamant after the epic 2009 series in South Africa that it was his seventh and last tour as a Lions player or coach.

But as soon as fellow Scot Andy Irvine was confirmed as the 2013 tour manager this week, he said he hoped McGeechan would make himself a coaching candidate.

"We've very much got an open mind on Geech - his record speaks for itself, he's Lions through to the core and did a fantastic job on the last tour," Irvine said.

McGeechan couldn't help but be a little excited at the prospect when contacted by the Daily Telegraph.

"Your enthusiasm for the Lions doesn't change," McGeechan said.

"I've yet to speak to Andy about any of this. I need to have those sort of conversations. I know what I said at the time but here we are, talking about it, and it all starts to look exciting again."

Irvine said Lions officials didn't expect to consider any coach in the 2013 Six Nations. That likely ruled out the other leading contender, Warren Gatland, McGeechan's assistant in South Africa. The New Zealander extended his contract as Wales coach on Monday by four years to the end of the 2015 World Cup.

Irvine said they would approach Wales to determine if Gatland can be released to guide the Lions.

"It's not feasible for a head coach to run the national side in the Six Nations prior to the tour because it would be asking too much," Gatland said.

"The national sides would probably baulk at that idea anyway because their national coach's eye would be taken off the ball."

Irvine, who played on two of his three Lions tours beside McGeechan, said the 2013 coach could be selected as early as after next year's World Cup in New Zealand, and no later than a year before the tour.

McGeechan, currently the Performance Director at Bath club and turning 64 next week, was favored by Irvine because the coach had done much to restore pride in the Lions during last year's tour in South Africa.

"McGeechan said after South Africa that he wouldn't be interested in coaching, but he said that after three other tours as well," Irvine said.

"He has to be a consideration. If he rules himself out I wouldn't want to put any pressure on him," he added.

"The last tour got an awful lot of things right and that should be the template for the way forward."

McGeechan played on two tours, winning in South Africa in 1974 and losing in New Zealand in 1977.

He then coached the Lions to a win over Australia in 1989, a loss in New Zealand in 1993, and a win in South Africa in 1997. He assisted on the 2005 tour of New Zealand where the Lions were famously 'Blackwashed', and was back in charge last year in SA.

Meanwhile, Irvine revealed that Argentina could become a Lions destination in 2021, the next opening in the Lions schedule.

"The Lions have a role to play in trying to promote the game in the world," he said. "If Argentina continue improving the way they are, it would be so disrespectful not to include them.

"The International Rugby Board would put pressure on the Lions to include Argentina and that's correct - they're a good side."

He said the Pumas' 25-25 draw with the Lions in Cardiff in 2005 had stunned the Lions: "Since then they've hardly looked back and now have huge credibility."

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