Andy Farrell appoints Ireland coaches as assistants in Lions team

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025 - 10:25

Mitch Phillips, Reuters

British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell has leaned on his Ireland connections by appointing Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty, along with Richard Wigglesworth and John Dalziel, as his assistants for this year's Australia tour.

News of the appointments had been leaked to the media earlier in the week but Farrell gave the rubber stamp in London on Wednesday.

Easterby filled in for Farrell as interim Ireland coach during the Six Nations Championship and had been expected to stay in charge for the summer tests against Georgia and Portugal, but instead joins the Lions as defence coach.

Ireland backs coach Goodman will look after the Lions' attack, with Fogarty in charge of scrums.

Former England scrumhalf Wigglesworth, number two to England head coach Steve Borthwick after following him to Twickenham from Leicester, and Scotland forwards coach Dalziel complete the lineup.

Farrell had already announced the appointment of David Nucifora (General Manager, Performance), Aled Walters (Head of Athletic Performance and Vinny Hammond (Head of Analysis).

Farrell will name his playing squad on May 8th in an event at London's O2 attended by thousands of fans for the first time. The Australia tests are on July 19th, July 26th and August 2nd after the Lions play Argentina in Dublin on June 20th.