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Warren Gatland’s desire to lead the 2017 Lions to New Zealand may have cooled after the Aviva Premiership final was today confirmed to take place just seven days before the first tour game.

The fixtures for the English top flight have been announced, with the play-off final set for Twickenham on May 27.

Only a week later on June 3 the Lions are due to kick-off their daunting schedule with a match against a Provincial Union XV in Whangarei on New Zealand’s North Island.

It means they face realistically going into that encounter shorn of a clutch of their best English players, as well as any Celts who happen to play for the clubs which make the final.

The Aviva calendar adds to the problem the Lions already have over the release of any players involved in the latter stages of the French Top 14, a group that could include Welsh star Leigh Halfpenny.

The ludicrously elongated French campaign runs well into June and Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has already warned Halfpenny that he expects him to see his club commitments through to the bitter end.

Lions tour manager John Spencer has already indicated that the management want to avoid the situation of players joining the party late having had to see out club duties.

Gatland meanwhile has bemoaned the toughness of the demanding tour schedule which includes matches against all five of New Zealand’s Super Rugby sides as well as three Tests against the All Blacks and a clash with a Maori XV.

The Kiwi is still the favourite to land the head coach position despite overseeing a disappointing tour to his homeland with Wales last month.

An announcement on the appointment is expected in August after a thorough interview process.