Head coach Andy Farrell will announce more members of his coaching team on Wednesday 26 March
Head coach Andy Farrell will announce his assistants for the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia on Wednesday 26 March. The big reveal will come 11 days after the completion of the 2025 Six Nations, in which – we’re assuming – most of the lucky coaches will have been competing.
Farrell announced the first members of his backroom staff in January, and he’s worked with all three of them during his time with Ireland.
David Nucifora is currently working as an advisor on performance for Scottish Rugby, but before that spent a successful decade as performance director for Ireland. He’ll be general manager, performance, on the upcoming tour down under, and has already started working with the Lions.
Farrell is also taking Ireland’s head of athletic performance, Aled Walters, and head of analysis, Vinny Hammond, to Australia. Both men will be seconded to the Lions after the Six Nations.
Read more: British & Irish Lions fixtures 2025
On announcing the first members of his British & Irish Lions coaching staff in January, Farrell said: “In David, Aled and Vinny we have three of the absolute best joining us for the tour to Australia this summer, culminating in the highly anticipated Test series against the Wallabies.
“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. Aled is a World Cup winner who has worked with players across England and Ireland, and has also coached in Australia and Super Rugby with the Brumbies. And Vinny’s Lions pedigree from touring New Zealand and South Africa brings continuity and Lions experience, which will be crucial to success down under.”
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.
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.”
Hammond will join up with the Lions after the Six Nations.
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.”
Nucifora has already started working with the Lions.
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.”
Walters will start working with the Lions after the Six Nations.
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