British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell has confirmed the appointments of three of his backroom crew for the summer season tour to face Australia, with former Wallaby David Nucifora amongst them.
Nucifora joins the set-up as normal supervisor, having labored in an identical place with the IRFU in Eire for a decade between 2014 and 2024, after which taken up a comparable place with Scotland final summer season.
Welshman Aled Walters has been appointed as head of athletic efficiency from the IRFU, having beforehand labored with South Africa and England.
Irishman Vinny Hammond additionally joins from the IRFU as head of study, having beforehand toured as a Lions analyst in 2017 and 2021.
“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,” Farrell stated.
“David’s unrivalled expertise will assist us form and ship such a difficult and thrilling rugby programme, whereas additionally bringing important perception into Australian rugby and the nation as a complete.
“Aled is a World Cup winner who has labored with gamers throughout England and Eire and has additionally coached in Australia and Tremendous 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.”
Former Wallaby hooker and Brumbies coach Nucifora joins on a consultancy foundation and will probably be with the squad at some point of the tour.
Nucifora stated: “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.
“I look ahead to drawing on my experiences with Eire and Scotland in supporting Andy as he goes about constructing a very world-class backroom crew and squad.”
Walters said: “The Lions is absolutely the pinnacle and my earliest reminiscence of them was watching the 1989 Australia tour as an eight-year-old and celebrating Ieuan Evans’ strive within the third Take a look at.
“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.”
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Want motivation? Watch again Farrell’s passionate speech when he was the defence coach throughout the 2013 Lions tour
Hammond added: “The Lions has an incredibly special place in my heart, having toured New Zealand in 2017 and then South Africa in 2021.
“Being a part of the Lions is the last word honour and it was an actual privilege to be requested by Andy to guide the evaluation crew for 2025. Our focus now’s on doing every little thing we will to win a Take a look at sequence.”
Lions CEO Ben Calveley added: “It’s my pleasure to welcome David, Aled and Vinny to the Lions.
“The excitement for this year’s tour to Australia is really starting to build across both hemispheres and as Andy shapes his backroom team that will only intensify.
“These roles would additionally not be doable with out the assist of our colleagues at Scottish Rugby and the IRFU who’ve helped facilitate these appointments.”
The Lions have confirmed Farrell will finalise the remainder of his backroom crew after the 2025 Six Nations.
Sky Sports activities will solely present the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia – all tour matches and Assessments reside
