Head coach Andy Farrell has announced five assistant coaches for the Lions tour down under
Head coach Andy Farrell has finalised his British & Irish Lions 2025 coaching staff for the upcoming tour to Australia.
Announced on Wednesday 26 March, the line-up of assistant coaches includes Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Andrew Goodman from Farrell’s Ireland set-up, John Dalziel from Scotland, and Richard Wigglesworth from England. There’s no representative from the Wales national side, though head of athletic performance Aled Walters (whose role was announced back in January) is Welsh.
They join head of analysis Vinny Hammond (also from the IRFU) and general manager (performance) David Nucifora (from the SRU) who, along with Walters, had their roles confirmed earlier this year.
Read more: British & Irish Lions fixtures 2025
On announcing his British & Irish Lions coaching staff, 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 British & Irish Lions squad for the tour to Australia will be announced on Thursday 8 May 2025.
Who’s in the British & Irish Lions coaching staff for 2025?
Andy Farrell (head coach)
As a player Farrell was a rugby league legend, winning numerous titles with the great Wigan Warriors side of the 1990s. Having switched codes to join Saracens in 2005, he moved into coaching after hanging up his boots, and was appointed Saracens head coach in 2010. He went on to work with Stuart Lancaster’s England as an assistant coach (as well as assisting Warren Gatland on the 2013 Lions tour to Australia), before moving to Ireland in 2015. Following a stint as assistant to Joe Schmidt, he was promoted to the top job after the 2019 World Cup. His subsequent Six Nations titles – including a Grand Slam in 2023 – along with Ireland’s lengthy run at the top of the world rankings made him the obvious candidate to lead the Lions in 2025.
John Dalziel (assistant coach)
Scottish representation on the British & Irish Lions coaching staff 2025 comes from John Dalziel. He’s been employed by Gregor Townsend’s Scotland as assistant coach (forwards) since 2020, following on from a similar position with Glasgow Warriors. He’s also been head coach of Scotland’s Sevens and U20s teams. During his playing career he represented Gala, London Scottish, Border Reivers and Melrose at flanker.
“Even from our first meeting as coaches you could feel the energy in the room and it is hugely exciting to work with these guys,” Dalziel said after the announcement. “To get the chance to also work with players from other unions that you see from afar will be a great challenge.”
Simon Easterby (assistant coach)
Having managed the Ireland team in Farrell’s absence during the 2025 Six Nations, many assumed Easterby would continue through the summer as interim head coach. (He’s also been linked with the vacant Wales head coach job.) Instead, Farrell has appointed his trusted number two to his backroom staff in Australia.
A former Scarlets and Ireland captain, Easterby toured New Zealand with the Lions as a player in 2005, featuring in two tests. He’s been part of the Ireland coaching set-up since 2014, running the defence since 2021.
“I was lucky enough to tour with the Lions 20 years ago,” said Easterby. “It’s been a long time between gigs, but it is an exciting time and I am looking forward to getting stuck in. To tour as a player and now as a coach, knowing the group of players that we have the potential of working with, is something that I can’t wait to get stuck into.”
John Fogarty (assistant coach)
As a player Fogarty represented Munster, Connacht and Leinster (where he won the Heineken Cup) at hooker. He also represented the Ireland national team. Following his retirement, he worked for the IRFU as an elite player development coach, and was appointed scrum coach for Leinster in 2015. Since 2019 he’s been the national team’s scrum coach.
“I have had some brilliant days with Leinster and Ireland, but there is something so special about bringing the home nations and all their supporters together,” said Fogarty. “The responsibility to make sure this is a successful tour is incredibly special – I just can’t wait.”
Andrew Goodman (assistant coach)
A member of Ireland’s backroom staff since 2024, New Zealand-born backs coach Andrew Goodman previously coached for Leinster, Super Rugby giants the Crusaders and the Samoa national team. As a player, he also lined up at centre for Leinster, as well as Tasman in New Zealand and Honda Heat in Japan.
“It’s been exciting to meet some new faces in John [Dalziel] and Richard [Wigglesworth] and there is that continuity, too, with the guys I have worked with [at Ireland] over the last period,” said Goodman. “It is an exciting mix and there will be a different dynamic of a big tour. The key is making sure everyone is connected and they have great craic off the field too.”
Vinny Hammond (head of analysis)
Seconded to the Lions from the equivalent role with Ireland, Vinny Hammond brings with him the experience of previous Lions tours to New Zealand and South Africa.
“The Lions has an incredibly special place in my heart, having toured New Zealand in 2017 and then South Africa in 2021,” said Hammond. “Being part of the Lions is the ultimate honour and it was a real privilege to be asked by Andy to lead the analysis team for 2025. Our focus now is on doing everything we can to win a test series.”
David Nucifora (general manager, performance)
Former Australia international David Nucifora brings some local knowledge to the British & Irish Lions coaching team. As well as representing the Wallabies at hooker, he’s coached the ACT Brumbies, and won the 2004 Super 12 (now Super Rugby) title while at the club. Having spent a successful decade as performance director with Ireland, he started working in a similar role with Scotland in 2024.
“Having watched the Lions tour Australia over the years, and then playing against them for a Queensland XV in 1989, never did I expect that one day I would be part of their team – but it is funny how sport works,” said Nucifora. “I look forward to drawing on my experiences with Ireland and Scotland in supporting Andy as he goes about building a truly world-class backroom team and squad.”
“David’s unrivalled experience will help us shape and deliver such a challenging and exciting rugby programme, whilst also bringing essential insight into Australian rugby and the country as a whole,” added Farrell.
Aled Walters (head of athletic performance)
One of the most sought after coaches in world rugby, Aled Walters was part of the backroom staff that guided South Africa to the World Cup in 2019. He’s also worked with Munster and Leicester Tigers, and joined Steve Borthwick’s staff as England’s head of strength and conditioning in 2023. Last summer he made the move to Ireland, as head of athletic performance for the men’s national team.
“The Lions is the absolute pinnacle and my earliest memory of them was watching the 1989 Australia Tour as an eight-year-old and celebrating Ieuan Evans’ try in the third test,” said Walters. “It is true that there is no greater honour than being selected for a Lions tour and I cannot wait to work with the very best players and coaches as we take on the Wallabies and tour Australia.”
Richard Wigglesworth (assistant coach)
A highly decorated England scrum-half who won multiple Premiership and European Champions Cup titles, Richard Wigglesworth only hung up his boots in 2022. His coaching ascendancy since then has been extremely rapid, after his former Leicester Tigers boss Steve Borthwick brought him into the England set-up as attack coach. England’s much-improved finishing in the 2025 Six Nations, which saw the side average five tries a game, presumably played Wigglesworth into Farrell’s thinking for the British & Irish Lions coaching staff.
“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,” said Wigglesworth. “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.”
