Welsh rugby legends Sam Warburton and Adam Jones are two of the shock front-runners to assist Warren Gatland on the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 2021.
Last Friday it was widely reported Gatland has agreed to become head coach of the Lions for a third successive tour.
Gatland is due to step down from his post with Wales after the World Cup and, as the most successful coach in Six Nations history, his services were in demand by clubs and international sides.
A Lions start date has yet to be finalised, but it is likely he will officially begin work 10 months to a year out from the tour.
The appointment means he will complete the set of Lions tour destinations as head coach after overseeing a 2-1 series win against Australia in 2013 and 1-1 draw with New Zealand four years later.
With Gatland's appointment seemingly secured much of the focus will be on the New Zealander's backroom team, and according to bookmakers SportNation, Warburton and Jones' names are figuring high up on the list of favourites.
Ex-Welsh skipper Warburton captained the Lions on the previous two tours under Gatland, before finally giving up the game through injury in the summer of 2018.
Though he has no coaching experience at the top end of the game, Warburton, who worked during Wales' Six Nations Gramd Slam this season as a BBC pundit, is a 4/1 shot with the bookies to take charge of the forwards.
Another newcomer to the list is former tighthead Jones.
The 38-year-old is a 95-times capped Welsh front-row veteran, who has five Lions Tests on their 2009 tour of South Africa and their 2013 trip to Australia.
He's part of Paul Gustard's coaching team at Harlequins, taking charge of the scrum, having hung up his boots with the Twickenham Stoop club last summer.
He's priced at 3/1 to become part of the Lions coaching team while former Ireland No.10 Ronan O'Gara, who is coaching in Super Rugby with the Crusaders, is 2/1 to oversee the backs.
Jones famously fell out with Gatland after his Wales career was ended by the Kiwi, and he recently spoke about his feelings towards Gatland several years on.
Both Warburton and Jones would seem unlikely contenders due to their lack of experience, despite bookies offering short odds on the pair.
Alongside the Welsh duo and ex-Munster man O'Gara and Saracens defence chief Alex Sanderson are a host of men who all worked with Gatland on the previous Lions tour to New Zealand.
The current odds for assistants according to SportNation are:
Ronan O’Gara 2/1; Sam Warburton 4/1; Alex Sanderson 3/1; Adam Jones 3/1; Rob Howley 1/2; Steve Borthwick 6/5; Andy Farrell 8/15; Neil Jenkins 4/9; Graham Rowntree 4/6.
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