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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Pa Sport Staff

Simon Easterby and Richard Wigglesworth set for Lions coaching roles

Richard Wigglesworth looks set for a coaching role with the British and Irish Lions (Mike Egerton/PA) - (PA Wire)

Simon Easterby and Richard Wigglesworth look set to be the headline appointments among Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions coaching staff for this summer’s tour of Australia, according to reports.

Head coach Farrell will reveal his team of assistants in London on Wednesday.

Easterby took on the job of Ireland interim head coach for this season’s Guinness Six Nations campaign while Farrell concentrated on Lions business, and he and Wigglesworth are now reportedly poised for Lions roles.

Simon Easterby was Ireland interim head coach for the Six Nations this season (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

The latest appointments will follow confirmed posts within the Lions set-up for Ireland’s strength and conditioning coach Aled Walters and ex-Ireland performance director David Nucifora.

Former England scrum-half Wigglesworth, 41, succeeded current England head coach Steve Borthwick as Leicester boss in 2022.

He then linked up with Borthwick’s England coaching team the following summer, and became senior assistant coach in October 2024.

Andy Farrell will name the British and Irish Lions tour squad for Australia on May 8 (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

Under Wigglesworth’s attacking tutelage, England scored 25 tries in this season’s Six Nations and made 36 line-breaks as they finished runners-up to France.

Farrell will announce the playing squad for Australia on May 8, with the Lions facing Argentina in Dublin six weeks later before flying to Perth and a June 28 clash against Western Force.

A three-Test series against Australia kicks off in Brisbane on July 19, followed by games in Melbourne and Sydney.

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