Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is set to play a part in the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa at the end of July.

The Irish Times report that Farrell may join up with Warren Gatland's coaching staff after the home tests against Japan and the USA in early July.

His availability comes into focus after Ireland's summer tour of Fiji was cancelled.

Instead, Ireland will play home tests at the Aviva Stadium - Japan will visit on July 3rd, with the USA making the trip to Dublin one week later.

The Lions play the Springboks in the first of three test matches on Saturday July 24th.

There are eight Irish players in Gatland's squad.

Leinster's Robbie Henshaw, Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter and Jack Conan will wear red.

Munster's Conor Murray and Tadhg Beirne, Ulster's Iain Henderson and Connacht's Bundee Aki were also selected.

All members of the squad have already received their first Covid-19 vaccinations.

Farrell was defence coach for the Lions under Gatland for the 2013 and 2017 Tours.

British and Irish Lions schedule (All times Irish):

Saturday 3rd July, 5pm: Emirates Lions v The British & Irish Lions (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)
Wednesday 7th July, 7pm: Cell C Sharks v The British & Irish Lions (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)

Saturday 10th July, 5pm: Vodacom Bulls v The British & Irish Lions (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Wednesday 14th July, 7pm: South Africa 'A' v The British & Irish Lions (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
Saturday 17th July, 5pm: DHL Stormers v The British & Irish Lions (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)

Saturday 24th July, 5pm: Springboks v The British & Irish Lions (1st Test, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
Saturday 31st July, 5pm: Springboks v The British & Irish Lions (2nd Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg)
Saturday 7th Aug, 5pm: Springboks v The British & Irish Lions (3rd Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg)