Head coach Andy Farrell has unveiled the British and Irish Lions coaching staff to tour Australia, with Scotland forwards coach John Dalziel a surprise inclusion.
England’s senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth is also part of the staff, along with Simon Easterby, who deputised for Farrell with Ireland during the Six Nations.
Scrum coach John Fogarty and attack coach Andrew Goodman also join from the Irish staff, with head of strength of conditioning Aled Walters confirmed previously.
Farrell is the lone member of the staff with previous experience of coaching on a Lions tour, though Easterby toured as a player.
Though Walters is Welsh, there is no representative from the Welsh coaching staff after back-to-back Six Nations wooden spoons.
Alongside Walters, David Nucifora – formerly of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and now performance director of the Scottish Rugby Union – was confirmed as performance manager for the tour in January.
“This is a special day for The British & Irish Lions and our five new assistant coaches who came together yesterday for the very first time,” Farrell said.
“Putting together a Lions coaching team is an honour and a privilege - and the five phone calls made to this group of coaches reminds you just how special and unique it is. This coaching group has versatility and are interchangeable in their skillset, which is a vital asset to have on a Lions Tour.
“I think we have a fantastic mix and every one of these guys will bring their own character and personality to the team. A Lions Tour is all about understanding the demands that we will face on and off the pitch and a fresh perspective amongst this coaching group is something that I am really excited by.
“We now have a month and a half to come together and select players ahead of an historic squad announcement at The O2 in front of our Lions fans.”
The staff certainly has an Irish feel to it, with Easterby a key lieutenant to Farrell as the Englishman led Ireland to back-to-back Six Nations titles, and Fogarty a popular member of the wider coaching team.
Goodman is a more recent addition, but the New Zealander worked previously with Leinster and is considered a clever attacking thinker. He was brought to Dublin by Joe Schmidt, now head coach of Australia.
Wigglesworth, meanwhile, is the beneficiary of a strong end to the Six Nations for England having overseen the side’s attack since retiring from playing in the summer of 2023.
“I am absolutely delighted to be part of the Lions. Proud is probably an understatement to how I am feeling right now,” the former scrum half said. “I never got to play with Andy, but he was my coach at Saracens and England so I know his calibre and I am thoroughly looking forward to working with him.
“When I got the call I was in the back garden with my five-year-old daughter on dad duties and I had to quieten her down whilst I took it.”
The Lions begin their tour with a fixture against Argentina in Dublin on Friday 20 June, before taking on the Wallabies in a three-Test series from Saturday 19 July.
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