Sport | British & Irish Lions confirm assistant coaches for Australia tour

Richard Wigglesworth, Simon Easterby, Andy Farrell (head coach), John Dalziel, Andrew Gooman, and John Fogerty pose during British & Irish Lions coaching announcement at Canterbury Offices in London on 26 March 2025. (David Rogers/Getty Images)

• Simon Easterby and Richard Wigglesworth have been appointed as assistant coaches to Andy Farrell for the British & Irish Lions’ upcoming tour of Australia. 
• Easterby was Ireland’s interim head coach during the Six Nations 2023, while Wigglesworth has served as senior assistant coach for England since October 2024.
• The Lions’ tour begins with a match against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June, followed by a series in Australia starting 19 July, with Tests in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
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The British & Irish Lions on Wednesday announced that Simon Easterby and Richard Wigglesworth had been appointed as two of head coach Andy Farrell’s assistants for the upcoming tour of Australia.

Easterby, 49, was Ireland’s interim head coach during the recent Six Nations while Farrell was seconded to Lions duty and presided over a run of four wins and one defeat as the champions for the previous two seasons finished in third place.

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Former England scrumhalf Wigglesworth, 41, succeeded current England head coach Steve Borthwick as Leicester boss in 2022.

He then joined Borthwick’s England staff the following year and became senior assistant coach in October 2024.

Under Wigglesworth’s guidance, England scored 25 tries in this season’s Six Nations as they finished runners-up to France.

Farrell has also recruited scrum coach John Fogarty and backs coach Andrew Goodman from the Ireland set-up, with Scotland forwards coach John Dalziel also included in the backroom staff.

Wednesday’s appointments follow previously announced Lions roles for other coaching positions including former Ireland performance director David Nucifora, who now holds a similar role with Scotland.

Farrell, a former England international, will announce the playing squad for Australia on 8 May, with the Lions facing Argentina in Dublin on 20 June.

The combined side then fly to Perth ahead of a 28 June clash against the Western Force.

A three-match series against Australia – coached by Farrell’s former boss and predecessor as Ireland coach Joe Schmidt – begins in Brisbane on 19 July, followed by further Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.