Andy Farrell is given the green light to be appointed British & Irish Lions head coach for their 2025 tour of Australia after he signed a two-year contract extension with Ireland that will see him take charge until the end of the next Rugby World Cup

• Andy Farrell is the leading contender to become the next Lions head coach
• It was announced on Thursday that he would be extending his Ireland contract 
• There had been some doubts over whether he would be able to coach the Lions  

Andy Farrell has been given the green light to be appointed British & Irish Lions head coach for the first time in Australia in 2025 after he signed a new Ireland deal. 

Farrell is the leading contender to take charge of the famous cross-border team for their next tour in two years although there had been doubts over whether he would be released by Ireland to do so.

But on Thursday, Ireland performance director David Nucifora said he would be happy for the former England assistant to take on the role if the Lions wanted him to do so.

‘We’d be ecstatic if Andy was named coach of the Lions so hopefully that accolade is the next one for him and we’d be more than comfortable with how we deal with it,’ Nucifora said. ‘

‘As far as the period of time he might be away from us, that’s still something I think can be discussed if this happens.

Andy Farrell has been given the green light to be appointed as the next British & Irish Lions head coach

It comes as the Ireland boss has signed a contract extension to stay on as Ireland head coach until 2027 

Farrell is being backed to take over from Lions boss Warren Gatland, having toured with the team in 2013 and 2017 as an assistant coach 

‘We’ve looked at the way we’ve gone about doing that and now Andy’s locked away we’ve got an opportunity to start working on the other guys (his assistants).’ 

Farrell was an assistant coach with the Lions under the guidance of Warren Gatland for the 2013 and 2017 tours of Australia and New Zealand respectively. 

But he was blocked from working alongside Gatland again in South Africa in 2021 after taking on the role of Ireland head coach. 

Since taking charge of the men in green in 2019, Farrell has masterminded a Six Nations grand slam, a triple crown, a series victory in New Zealand and taken Ireland to No 1 in the World Rugby rankings. 

Farrell will now take charge of Ireland until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup 

He has signed a two-year contract extension to remain as Ireland head coach until the end of the 2027 World Cup. Farrell couldn’t take his team past this year’s World Cup quarter-finals. 

And while it remains the fact no Irish side has ever made it past the last-eight stage at a global showpiece, that should not detract from the fine work Farrell has done.

‘Coaching Ireland has been a hugely enjoyable experience and I’m proud to extend my association with the Irish Rugby Football Union,’ he said. 

‘It’s a pleasure to work with such a talented and committed group of players and as we enter a new cycle, it will be exciting to see more players come through the system.’ 

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