Andy Farrell was unveiled as the new Lions head coach for next year’s tour to Australia in London’s financial district today. The 48-year-old Ireland head coach had been a long-time favourite to take up the position that Warren Gatland previously held for the 2013, 2017 and 2021 tours.
Farrell was an assistant to Gatland on the 2013 tour to Australia (a 2-1 Test series win) and four years later fulfilled the same role when the Lions drew the series (1-1) in New Zealand. His Ireland commitments kept him from travelling to South Africa in 2021.
He was an obvious choice for the head coach’s role across many metrics, not least his time in charge at Ireland where he led the country to a first ever series win in New Zealand (2-1), a Grand Slam, Six Nations title, two Triple Crowns and a 17-match unbeaten run that saw them reach number one in the world rankings.
“It is a tremendous honour and a privilege to be named head coach of the British & Irish Lions,” Farrell said today. “I know how special Lions Tours are having been involved in the 2013 and 2017 Tours, so I am delighted to get the chance to lead the team in 2025.
“There is a wealth of talent across Britain and Ireland, and I am looking forward to building a team that can deliver the ultimate goal of success in Australia. I also want to thank the Irish Rugby Football Union for their support in allowing me to accept this prestigious opportunity.
“The British & Irish Lions fan base is really special, uniting supporters from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and beyond. Mobilising that Sea of Red by creating a team that our fans can connect with and be proud of will be a key priority for me and will be crucial to our success.”
Since taking over from Joe Schmidt following the 2019 World Cup, the Wigan man has coached Ireland to 35 wins in 43 Tests (81.4 per cent win rate). He recently signed a four-year contract extension that will see him take charge of Ireland through the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
He will step back temporarily from the Ireland head coaching position after the November Test series later this year as he embraces his Lions commitments in a fulltime capacity.
The IRFU’s performance director David Nucifora said last month: “Yeah, we’d be ecstatic if Andy was named coach of the Lions. Hopefully that accolade is the next one for him and we’d be more than comfortable with how to deal with it.”
Nucifora offered an insight into the calibre of person that the Lions will be getting. “I think Andy is an outstanding coach. His man management skills are second to none. His ability to get the best out of staff and players, the way he brings the group together, gets people on the same page but with the ability to constantly challenge people to improve and better themselves.
“I think that skillset, he’s obviously got the rugby intellect, but he also has the softer skills you need to be able to get the best out of people. That’s not easy to find someone who has that all-round set of skills that you need at this level of the game. So, we’re very fortunate to have him.”
Farrell, father of Saracens, England, and Lions outhalf Owen, won eight caps as a centre in 2007 following a stellar and garlanded rugby league career with Wigan and Great Britain and then moved into coaching, first with Saracens and then with England, serving as an assistant under Stuart Lancaster.
He joined Schmidt’s Ireland backroom team as defence coach following the 2015 World Cup and then succeeded the New Zealander four years later following the global tournament in Japan.
“Andy Farrell’s appointment marks a fantastic chapter for the Lions as we build towards the 2025 Tour in Australia,” Ieuan Evans, chairperson of the Lions said on Thursday. “We know the challenge we face in Australia won’t be easy and to have someone of his stature with the Lions puts us in a great position to replicate the success we enjoyed in 2013.
“British & Irish Lions Tours are unique in the world of sport and Australia is always a very special place to play rugby. It is home to some of the most iconic stadiums in the world which will be packed full of passionate fans.”
The British & Irish Lions will take on Argentina in Dublin in preparation for their next year’s tour to Australia in what will be their first ever match in Ireland, coincidentally in a season in which the IRFU celebrates its 150th anniversary. The game will be held at the Aviva Stadium on June 20th, 2025, and the two teams will play for the Lions 1888 Cup.
Tickets, allocated via various channels, including IRFU, Ticketmaster.ie and the Lions Rugby will be available from €40 and will be released in March 2024. The Lions will play nine matches in Australia, three Test, five games against the Super Rugby franchises and a match against a combined ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand) team.
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