England coach set for Lions gig
03/25/2025 05:26 AM
A key member of the England coaching team will reportedly join Andy Farrell’s British & Irish Lions backroom staff for their tour of Australia in July.
Head coach Farrell is expected to officially make the announcement in London on Wednesday, when he unveils a management group dominated by Irish influence. The playing squad will be named at London's O2 Arena on 8 May.
According to The Irish Mirror, Simon Easterby is poised to be named defence coach, while John Fogarty is lined up for the scrum coach role. Easterby, currently Ireland's interim head coach, stepped in after Farrell took a sabbatical with the Lions, guiding Ireland to third in the Six Nations.
A former Lions tourist in 2005, Easterby has been part of Ireland's coaching staff since 2019, switching to defence duties in 2021.
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Meanwhile, BBC Sport reports that England boss Steve Borthwick has approved Englishman Richard Wigglesworth's involvement.
The former scrumhalf, who retired in 2022, has quickly built an impressive coaching resume, assisting Borthwick with the national team after a stint as Leicester Tigers head coach.
Despite Ireland's mixed Six Nations campaign, Farrell's staff have had notable success, securing a Grand Slam in 2023 and briefly holding the world's No 1 ranking.
The Lions tour will kick off with a clash against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June before heading Down Under for nine fixtures, including three Tests against the Wallabies in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
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