Andy Farrell to take Simon Easterby on Lions tour as part of Irish-dominated coaching team

Ireland's head coach Simon Easterby gives thumbs up before the Six Nations rugby match between Italy and Ireland at Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 15 March 2025. — Simon Easterby has been leading Ireland in Andy Farrell’s absence - Shutterstock/Fabio Frustaci

Andy Farrell is set to appoint Simon Easterby to an Ireland-dominated Lions coaching team, Telegraph Sport understands, with no England assistants likely to make the tour to Australia.

Farrell is keen to recruit Easterby, who has taken over from him as interim Ireland head coach during his Lions commitment.

Easterby previously acted as Farrell’s defence coach but has also served as forwards coach. It is unclear what his remit would be within the Lions coaching set-up but the appointment of Easterby, who has been linked with the Wales head coach role, would be a major coup, particularly with the Irish Rugby Football Union previously indicating that he would take charge of their summer tour to Georgia and Portugal.

Sources have indicated to Telegraph Sport that Farrell will rely on his tried-and-trusted lieutenants in the Ireland set-up despite their underwhelming finish to the Six Nations Championship.

However, Paul O’Connell may not take up a role as forwards coach for which he was strongly touted. Last year, the former Lions second row declared that he did not feel “ready” to take on the role. Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty appear to be the frontrunners to take on the roles of attack and scrum coach respectively.

Ireland forwards coach Paul O'Connell at Complexe de la Chambrerie in Tours, France. — Paul O’Connell – a Lions player on the 2005, 2009 and 2013 tours – has been seen as a leading contender for the role of forwards coach - Getty Images/Harry Murphy

Contracts will be finalised this week with Farrell formally unveiling his coaching team on March 26.

Depending on what Easterby’s brief is, there may still be a role for a defence or forwards coach. Scotland defence coach Steve Tandy was the Lions defence coach on the 2021 tour to South Africa and received excellent feedback from the squad.

It is understood that the French Rugby Union are not willing to release Farrell’s former Wigan team-mate Shaun Edwards with the Six Nations champions set to tour New Zealand this summer.

Shaun Edwards at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on March 8, 2025 — Englishman Shaun Edwards is not available for the Lions tour with the French RFU unwilling to release him - Liam McBurney/PA

Despite claiming the Triple Crown, Ireland finished in the Six Nations behind England, who scored more points and conceded fewer points than the other home nations. England attack coach Richard Wigglesworth was a team-mate of Farrell’s during their Saracens playing days while England’s scrum has improved immensely under Tom Harrison, but head coach Steve Borthwick indicated he did not expect any of his immediate team to be going to Australia.

“Andy hasn’t talked about any of the coaching team at this stage,” Borthwick said. “I’d love them to have the opportunity. I’d love as many of the management team as possible to have that. That Lions experience I had in 2017 was one of the best, if not the best, experience I’ve had in my life. Working with the best players from four different countries, working with incredible coaches against top-class opposition. I developed and learnt so much as a coach in that period, it was brilliant for me and accelerated my coaching, so I’d love as many other people from the England group to be in there as possible, and I’ll be fully supportive of them all.”

It is understood that there will be a greater English representation in the wider backroom team even with Aled Walters, David Nucifora and Vinny Hammond on board already as head of athletic performance, general manager and head of analysis respectively.

It is not uncommon for Lions head coaches to rely upon familiar faces. On the 2021 tour, Warren Gatland turned to Wales assistants Robin McBryde and Rob Howley as well as Welshman Steve Tandy. However, it is understood Gatland did not see eye to eye with Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, who was brought in as attack coach, emphasising the importance of alignment within the brains trust.

Hopes for large English playing contingent

As the Lions chief executive Ben Calveley told Telegraph Sport last summer, Farrell has been given completely free rein to pick any coach or player he wants without needing to ensure a balanced representation of the four home nations. “It will be absolutely merit-based, this is about being the ‘best of the best’ and we have to fiercely protect that,” Calveley said. “Things like quotas would not be in line with that mentality.”

That applies to players too and Farrell was present in Cardiff to witness England run riot in their record 68-14 defeat of Wales. Borthwick is hoping that England could be set for a bumper representation when Farrell announces his squad on May 8 with players such as Ben Curry, Will Stuart and Fin Smith putting themselves in the frame having started the Championship as outside shots.

“I think it’s an exciting time because we want as many of our England players on the Lions tour as possible,” Borthwick said. “The good thing here is, Andy’s got some great headaches on it. He’s got some brilliantly tough decisions to make because there’s so many good players around. But it would benefit English rugby to have as many on that Lions tour as possible.

“I have done the exercise about 10 times, where I’ve sat there and written out which players I think will go – and I end up with a different number each time, because it depends on who’s playing well. Ollie Lawrence was one of those, so I was really disappointed for him that he’s not going to have that opportunity on this Lions tour. I just want as many as possible, and hopefully, hopefully, there aren’t any more injuries to any players.”

Ben Curry in action against Wales — England look set to be better represented in the playing squad with the likes of Ben Curry forcing their way into contention - Reuters/Paul Childs

Should a sizeable English contingent be selected then that would open opportunities for other players to step up with England facing fixtures against a France XV, Argentina and the USA this summer. That could include Racing 92 winger Henry Arundell, who is available for selection again after signing for Bath, while Borthwick challenged those on the fringes of the main squad to keep knocking on the door.

“We’ve got our players outside that squad, ringing me in, texting me, wanting opportunities, and so there will be opportunities for those players,” Borthwick said. “What I’d say to them is play super well for their clubs between now and the end of the season.

“My coaches will start planning on Thursday this week about the eventualities if a player leaves for the Lions, so we have two players in every position where you have that depth. And so those players will need to play super well for their clubs, and now push the case for selection.”

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