British Lions bosses have revealed the 2017 tourists will be the highest paid in history, with players receiving a major pay hike which could see them pocket close to £100,000 per man.

John Feehan, the chief executive who took on the role in 2005, said this week the wage bill for next summer’s tour will rise for the fourth tour running while indicating the players will receive a ‘chunky number’ if selected for the tour.

Sportsmail understands every player picked to go to New Zealand will receive a fee close to £70,000 per man if they go on to complete the tour, with Test match win bonuses potentially netting them more than £20,000 each.

Warren Gatland was officially unveiled as Lions head coach in Edinburgh on Wednesday

With Warren Gatland expected to take 38 players on next summer’s six-week trip, the wage bill for players alone will exceed £3.5million — comfortably the highest amount paid out in the six tours since rugby union turned professional in 1995 — with each player paid the same amount.

‘If there is one thing that is certain in life it’s taxes, death and increasing wage bills for a Lions tour,’ Feehan said.

Gatland’s players were paid around £45,000 per man for touring Australia in 2013, with their two Test victories understood to have netted them in the region of £13,000 but the latest pay hike — negotiated by Rugby Players Association chief executive Damian Hopley — could land them more than £15,000 per man, per week.

‘We believe it’s a pretty chunky number and we don’t think the players should have anything to worry about as far as that’s concerned.'

Wales head coach Gatland led the Lions to a 2-1 series win against Australia in 2013

THEY WILL HAVE TO EARN IT New Zealand gave an awesome attacking exhibition on Saturday, scoring eight tries as they thrashed Argentina 57-22 in the Rugby Championship in Hamilton. A Santiago Cordero try gave the Pumas the lead, but Julian Savea, Ben Smith and Beauden Barrett went over to put the hosts 24-19 ahead at the break. The All Blacks took control in the second half with additional tries from Smith, Charlie Faumuina, Luke Romano and two from Ryan Crotty to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games. Advertisement

Feehan added. ‘This is my fourth tour and we address this every single time. The thing about a Lions tour is that all players are treated exactly the same.

‘Unlike a Union or club, players are paid exactly the same whether they play or they don’t play a game. All three Tests or no Tests, they are all paid exactly the same.

‘It’s basically six weeks of work and it’s pretty well paid for six weeks’ work.’

While players selected for the tour can expect to be handsomely remunerated, clubs whose star players return on July 8 next year, seven weeks before the start of the Aviva Premiership campaign, will also receive financial compensation.

Sam Warburton charges downfield during the 2013 Lions tour of Australia

The Lions’ insurance policy will exceed £1m — also the highest figure of all time in an increasingly physical sport — and will provide for players’ medical treatment and compensation for clubs who provide them.

Player welfare has become a huge issue in a sport whose fixture schedule shows no sign of relenting, despite ongoing discussions about a so-called global season.

Saracens head coach Mark McCall recently described the Lions’ 10-match schedule as ‘ludicrous’ while Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty called it ‘unsustainable’ and pointed to data showing a significant spike in injuries to players following a Lions tour.

Six-time Lions doctor James Robson — the highly respected Scottish Rugby Union senior medic — is expected to head up the medical team again next year.

Northampton and England hooker Dylan Hartley is front-runner to captain the Lions

Feehan added: ‘The medical budget is neither here nor there. It’s whatever they cost, effectively. It’s not ruled by budget, it’s ruled by what we think we need. We would ordinarily have two doctors, we’ll have four physios, two masseurs and a couple of fitness guys as well. It’s a pretty sizeable team to work on the players 24/7.’

Gatland worked closely with Robson on the last two tours to Australia and South Africa, where the second Test in Pretoria was among the most ferocious games of professional rugby ever played.

The tour squad to Australia was also badly hit by injuries, with Gatland fielding a weakened team against the ACT Brumbies which included a host of players — Shane Williams, Christian Wade, Brad Barritt and Billy Twelvetrees — who had only arrived in Australia days before.

Hartley led England to a Grand Slam and series win over Australia in the past 12 months

‘It’s paramount we get the workload right,’ Gatland said. ‘It’s a balance between the size of the squad that it’s not too big. You want everyone to feel a part and not like they are making up the numbers. The medics on the last tour did a phenomenal job getting guys back quicker than expected, particularly in the third Test.

‘Do we bring in a few players to sit on the bench against the Chiefs (before the first Test) like we did against the Brumbies with Shane Williams, to protect players?