The England head coach, Steve Borthwick, will not be joining Andy Farrell’s British & Irish Lions management team for next year’s tour of Australia. Borthwick wants to concentrate on reshaping England’s fortunes and is not set to be involved in the 2025 series against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies.
Borthwick toured with the 2017 Lions to New Zealand alongside Farrell as forwards coach and his specialist lineout knowledge remains in high demand. His work ethic is also second to none but since taking his current role 18 months ago he has devoted all his time and energy to upscaling English rugby.
It leaves the way clear for Farrell to appoint an Irish lieutenant such as the former Lions captain Paul O’Connell to help forge a dominant pack in Australia. Farrell’s panel of assistant coaches, however, has not yet been finalised and it is unclear how many other members of England’s management may be in the frame.
In theory there are good cases to be made for Felix Jones, the Irishman currently in charge of England’s defence, and the Welsh-born fitness guru Aled Walters, both of whom have had success in the southern hemisphere with South Africa in recent years.
Equally Farrell may see significant value in asking Kevin Sinfield, another former rugby league legend, if he would be keen to help the Lions, who have not won a series since winning in Australia in 2013.
On the last Covid-dominated tour, to South Africa in 2021 in Warren Gatland’s final Lions expedition, Scotland’s head coach, Gregor Townsend, travelled as attack coach with Robin McBryde, Steve Tandy and Neil Jenkins also part of the management set-up.
The Lions are due to play nine games in Australia following a pre-departure fixture against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June. The three Tests will be played in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney between 19 July and 2 August next year.
