Andy Farrell has confirmed his British & Irish Lions coaching team for this summer’s tour to Australia.
The Ireland boss is leading the trip Down Under after three consecutive tours under Warren Gatland, on two of which Farrell served as an assistant in both 2013 and 2017.
He had already started to put together his backroom staff, with former Australia international and current Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) performance director David Nucifora joining as general manager along with Ireland’s head of athletic performance Aled Walters and head of analysis Vinny Hammond.
Farrell was waiting until the conclusion of the Six Nations to confirm the rest of his coaching team, which was completed in an official announcement made on Wednesday morning.
Also heading to Australia is Simon Easterby, who will take up the role as defence coach after leading Ireland in the Six Nations as interim head coach in Farrell’s absence.
He is joined by fellow Ireland coaches Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty, responsible for the attack and scrum respectively.
England are represented by Steve Borthwick’s senior assistant Richard Wigglesworth, with Scotland’s forwards coach John Dalziel also part of the group. There are no coaches from Wales included.
Introducing our coaches for our Tour of Australia 🦁#WeGoBeyond #Lions2025 pic.twitter.com/yenNxmPalX
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) March 26, 2025
“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.”
Farrell now turns to the tricky business of selecting his Lions playing squad, which will be announced on May 8 in front of a crowd of 2,000 fans at the O2 Arena in London.
He revealed on Wednesday that he and his coaches had already drawn up a longlist of around 75 players, which will need to be reduced significantly over the coming weeks.
The Lions play Argentina at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in the 1888 Cup on June 20 before heading to Australia, where Super Rugby’s Western Force are their opening opponents in Perth on June 28.
They then face the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on July 2 and New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on July 5, before travelling to the capital Canberra to meet the ACT Brumbies on July 9.
Then comes a fixture against an invitational Australia & New Zealand team in Adelaide on July 12, before the Lions begin their three-Test series against the Wallabies at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on July 19.
They also face a First Nations & Pasifika XV before the second Test at the MCG in Melbourne on July 26. The series concludes with the third and final Test at Accor Stadium in Sydney on August 2.
Australia are led by New Zealander Joe Schmidt, under whom Farrell worked as an assistant during his final three years in charge of Ireland between 2016-19, before being named as his successor.
