Ireland assistant coach Andrew Goodman. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Former Tasman coach Andrew Goodman has joined the British and Irish Lions coaching staff for this winter's tour of Australia.
Lions head coach Andy Farrell has leaned on his Ireland connections by appointing Goodman, Simon Easterby and John Fogarty, along with Richard Wigglesworth and John Dalziel, as his assistants for the tour.
Farrell, in charge of the Lions on a sabbatical from his Ireland head coach role, confirmed the lineup in London on Wednesday, with three men from the Ireland set-up, a Scot and an Englishman, but, for the first time since 2001, nobody from Wales.
Goodman has been Ireland's backs coach for the last year.
Easterby filled in for Farrell as interim Ireland coach during the Six Nations and had been expected to stay in charge for the summer tests against Georgia and Portugal, but instead joins the Lions.
Former England scrumhalf Wigglesworth, number two to England head coach Steve Borthwick, and Scotland forwards coach Dalziel complete the lineup.
"This coaching group has versatility and are interchangeable in their skillset, which is a vital asset to have on a Lions Tour," said Farrell, who will name his playing squad on 8 May in an event at London's 02 attended by thousands of fans for the first time.
"I think we have a fantastic mix and every one of these guys will bring their own character and personality to the team.
"A Lions tour is all about understanding the demands that we will face on and off the pitch and a fresh perspective among this coaching group is something that I am really excited by."
Farrell said he has drawn up a list of around 75 players, from which a final group of 35-40 will make the cut.
"Every single one of them deserves to be on that list and there are going to be a hell of a lot of good players who don't make the plane," he said.
Easterby, brought up in England but who played club rugby in Wales and internationals for Ireland and the Lions, looks an ideal fit.
"I was lucky enough to tour with the Lions 20 years ago. It's been a long time between gigs, but it is an exciting time," he said.
"To tour as a player and now as a coach, knowing the group of players that we have the potential of working with, is something that I can't wait to get stuck into."
The Lions play Argentina in Dublin on 20 June before five warm-up matches in Australia and the three tests on 19, 26 July and 2 August.
The Lions won their last series in Australia 2-1 in 2013 having lost the previous series 2-1 in 2001.
Their last tour was under Covid conditions in South Africa in 2021, when they lost 2-1.
Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster will be a part of the coaching staff for the combined New Zealand-Australia XV that will play the Lions in Adelaide.
- Reuters
