Becoming head British and Irish Lions head coach is the "next step" for Gregor Townsend if he joins the staff for the 2021 tour to South Africa, says former Scotland captain Rory Lawson.

Townsend is among the candidates to assist Warren Gatland next summer.

And Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson has said he would encourage Townsend to link up with the Lions.

"I'd be very surprised if Gregor didn't have Lions head coach as part of his grand plan," said Lawson.

"This would certainly be the next step within that. Being in that Lions group going down to South Africa next summer would be a huge step for Gregor.

"From a Scottish perspective, it would be massive to have a representative at that selection table who knows the players as people, who knows them as tourists and what they might bring."

Townsend toured South Africa as a player in 1997, performing a key role in a stunning 2-1 series win over the then world champions.

Gatland gave Townsend a chance to be part of his backroom team for the tour of New Zealand in 2017, offering him the role of assistant attack coach under Rob Howley. Townsend declined, opting instead to lead Scotland's summer tour having just succeeded Vern Cotter as head coach.

Lawson believes if Gatland wants Townsend on board this time around the Scot will jump at the chance, no matter what role is on offer.

"It was a wise decision to turn down that opportunity in 2017, his focus had to be on his role as Scotland head coach," Lawson told the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast.

"Now in his third, heading into his fourth season as Scotland coach, the next stage of his development would be with the Lions. It would be an opportunity to learn.

"Obviously he would like to be that lead attack coach and I think the next month, the next six months, will play a big part in if that's to be the case.

"Gregor is a proud man, but not so much that he would allow a job title to be the difference between him going on a tour and not."