The British and Irish Lions coaching staff has been revealed with head coach Andy Farrell unveiling a five-strong group of assistants.
The quintet will work in a fluid structure, working collaboratively to cover all aspects of the side across a 10-game itinerary.
The group join the previously appointed Aled Walters, head of strength and conditioning, and David Nucifora, performance manager, in the core staff to lead the trip.
The staff is primarily formed of coaches who have worked under Farrell with Ireland, with one individual each from England and Scotland. Wales have no representation in the group, though Walters is Welsh and Simon Easterby is heavily embedded within the country.
Here’s your guide to each assistant coach on tour:
Simon Easterby
Easterby has been Farrell’s No 2 at Ireland over the past few years, overseeing aspects of the defence and forwards. He filled in for the Lions coach during the Six Nations, and had been due to do the same on Ireland’s summer tour of Europe. However, Farrell has moved to add him to the Lions staff, with Easterby set to take the lead on defensive matters.
Born in Yorkshire and heavily embedded within Welsh rugby having played for the Scarlets and lived in the country for many years, Easterby toured New Zealand as a player in 2005.
John Dalziel
The surprise member of the coaching staff, Dalziel has worked his way up through the Scottish structure and overseen their forwards since 2020. He previously worked with their U20s, Scotland’s sevens side, London Scottish and Glasgow having embarked on his coaching career at Melrose. Like Gregor Townsend, the former flanker is from the Borders in the south of Scotland.
Dalziel is likely to have responsibility for the lineout, with former Ireland captain Paul O’Connell a perhaps surprising omission from the coaching team.
John Fogarty
The jocular Fogarty has been Ireland’s scrum coach since 2020 having previously operated in the same role at Leinster. Capped once internationally as a hooker, the popular 47-year-old has worked closely with a group expected to provide a number of front rowers on tour, with Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong all potential Test starters.
Fogarty’s levity is also likely to be key in keeping spirits high, with the Irishman cracking an impression of Farrell during his unveiling – thankfully to a chuckle from his head coach.
Andrew Goodman
Having been a semi-professional player in his native New Zealand, Goodman’s life changed when he joined Leinster at the recommendation of Joe Schmidt, now coach of the Wallabies, in 2012. Two successful years in Dublin followed before he returned to the club ahead of the 2022/23 season having embarked on his coaching career with Tasman and the Crusaders.
In December of 2023, he was confirmed as Mike Catt’s replacement as Ireland backs and attack coach, operating in a joint role on the summer tour of South Africa last year before assuming full duties in the autumn. He joins the Lions staff as one of two attacking specialists, with Farrell expected also to have a major input.
Richard Wigglesworth
England’s attack coach, Wigglesworth has had a rapid rise over the last of couple of years since retiring as a player in late 2022 – though as he is often keen to point out, the former scrum half began his coaching journey while still pulling on his boots. Having assisted Canada at the 2019 World Cup, Wigglesworth stepped up at Leicester Tigers after Steve Borthwick’s appointment as England head coach during the 2022/23 season before following him to the national team at the end of that campaign.
He has since implemented two different attacking strategies, with a kick-heavy pressure gameplan taking England to the semi-final of the World Cup in France and their attacking horizons broadened since. A strong end to the Six Nations for the side, and a 10-try win over Wales particularly, have helped earn him inclusion in the staff. Wigglesworth was coached by Farrell for both Saracens and England.
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