Andy Farrell is expected to be named next month as the British & Irish Lions head coach for the 2025 tour of Australia after the Irish Rugby Football Union gave its blessing for him to accept the role.
Farrell has signed a contract extension to remain Ireland’s head coach until the 2027 World Cup with the IRFU saying it would be “ecstatic” if he also takes charge of the Lions.
The 48-year-old Englishman made himself unavailable to be one of Warren Gatland’s assistants for the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa, but performed that role on the 2013 and 2017 tours of Australia and New Zealand respectively. Gatland has ruled himself out of a fourth consecutive tour as head coach and has tipped Farrell – who guided Ireland to the top of the world rankings before this year’s World Cup – to succeed him.
After Farrell’s contract extension was announced, the IRFU performance director, David Nucifora, welcomed a potential approach from the Lions. Gatland took sabbaticals in the buildup to the 2013 and 2017 tours when he was Wales head coach and Farrell would be expected to do similar.
“We’d be ecstatic if Andy was named coach of the Lions so hopefully that accolade is the next one for him and we’d be more than comfortable with how [we] deal with it,” said Nucifora. “As far as the period of time he might be away from us, that’s still something I think can be discussed if this happens.”
Farrell was appointed Ireland head coach in 2019, replacing Joe Schmidt after working under the New Zealander. He led Ireland to a first series win in New Zealand in 2022, as well as the Six Nations grand slam this year, but the All Blacks knocked Farrell’s side out of the World Cup in France at the quarter-final stage.
“Coaching [this team] has been a hugely enjoyable experience and I am proud to extend my association with the IRFU,” said Farrell. “It is a pleasure to work with such a talented and committed group of players and, as we enter a new cycle, it will be exciting to see more players come through the system.”
Meanwhile, Rob Howley has been appointed to Gatland’s coaching staff for the Six Nations in his first involvement with Wales since being banned for breaching betting regulations four years ago. Howley served as Wales’ attack coach from 2008 to 2019 in a period that included four Six Nations titles for the national side, three of them grand slams.
The former Lions scrum-half was forced to take a break from rugby before the 2019 World Cup when his betting activity came to light, resulting in an 18-month ban from the sport, half of which was suspended.
