LONG READ Andy Farrell is draining Ireland’s resources to benefit the Lions

“It doesn’t get any better than a Lions tour,” beamed Simon Easterby, bedecked in his resplendent new, red Canterbury kit. Easterby has stepped away from day-to-day head coach duties with Ireland, for the next five months to chase Lions glory in Australia. If and when he returns to Ireland, it will be under Andy Farrell and to a team that need a massive jolt before some tough challenges ahead.

From a prestige point of view, it looks good for Ireland to have a slew of Lions coaches. From a practical point of view, it is a hindrance. Ireland have taken a step back to the chasing pack in the past 12 months. At a time when they need clear direction, most of the shot-callers are heading to Oz.

London was the setting, as Farrell was joined by coaching staff for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. There was a lot of talk about integrating the ‘home nations’ but Welsh fans will have an understandable sense of foreboding. Easterby has plenty of Welsh connections but has been in the Irish set-up for the past 11 years.

Farrell has taken the Warren Gatland approach and has filled many of his main coaching and backroom roles with familiar faces. John Dalziel (forwards coach) is the exception to the rule. Richard Wigglesworth, who played under Farrell at Saracens and England, will oversee the kicking strategy. Easterby, Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty are responsible for the Lions’ defence, attack and scrum. Vinny Hammond is chief analyst, Aled Walters is ‘Head of Athletic Performance’. Both are being released from their duties with the IRFU. The ‘getting the band back together vibes’ are rounded out with former IRFU performance director David Nucifora signed up as the Lions’ general manager.

Where does that leave Ireland?

Paul O’Connell is Ireland’s newest interim head coach, after Easterby (the last interim) dropped the title, and responsibilities, for a fresh set. Next week, the IRFU will confirm O’Connell’s assistants for this summer’s games against Portugal and Georgia. Names already mentioned in relation to possible roles have been former players Johnny Sexton, Sean O’Brien, Denis Leamy, Mike Prendergast and Ian Keatley.

A sense of unease already exists in Ireland after the team faltered in the closing stretch of the Six Nations.

Taking nothing away from the playing credentials of either O’Connell or (potentially) Sexton, or their undoubted commitment to the challenge, it all feels makeshift. A sense of unease already exists in Ireland after the team faltered in the closing stretch of the Six Nations. That followed tight November wins over Australia and Argentina, and a deflating loss to New Zealand.

Cian Healy, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony have moved on. We knew Farrell would be away in Australia, and the early suspicions were that O’Connell would join him. Instead, 80% of that core coaching group will be in Lions’ red with O’Connell and a newly assembled group left to tour Portugal and Georgia.

Andy Farrell discusses coach selections and our Tour to Australia 🇦🇺#WeGoBeyond #Lions2025 @canterburyNZ @howdenlocaluk pic.twitter.com/l8LgVrzljU

— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) March 26, 2025

Farrell has built up a huge bank of credit amongst Irish supporters, for his initial work under Joe Schmidt and, since 2020, as head coach. He loosened the Schmidt shackles and made Ireland one of the most exciting teams to watch in world rugby, while winning back-to-back Six Nations titles and beating the All Blacks in a Test Series on Kiwi soil. He is regarded with a genuine warmth, and it is one he gives back to supporters. There was a feeling of pride when he was confirmed as Lions head coach. Look back to the announcement and you will find few quibbles on social media or in the national press.

What will irk many of those supporters, this week, however, is the fact that he is taking so much from Ireland’s coaching stock at a time the national team is in transition. The mood may have been different had Easterby led Ireland to another Six Nations title, but France blew that plan to smithereens. Ireland may have led 13-8, after 45 minutes, against France but they ended up soundly beaten. When Cian Healy and Jack Conan dotted down for late, consolation tries, the only person celebrating at Aviva Stadium was a high caffeinated and deluded public address announcer. Ireland went out, a week later, and struggled badly against an Italy side that France and England scored a combined 120 points against.

As a nation, Ireland is back to worrying again. The IRFU was already preparing for some belt tightening before we dropped from a potential Grand Slam to third in the standings a financial difference of €4.8 million.

“I’m committed,” Easterby told reporters in Rome, after that narrow win. “I love what I do… I’m pretty happy where I am.”

10 days later, he has signed up to a new adventure. New team, new tracksuit. Old job waiting for him, back in Ireland, if he still wants it.

As a nation, Ireland is back to worrying again. The IRFU was already preparing for some belt tightening before we dropped from a potential Grand Slam to third in the standings (a financial difference of €4.8 million). Leinster aside, the provinces are struggling. The Under 20s finished bottom of their Six Nations pile.

Over the coming months, Ireland supporters need something to cling onto. Those positives may be gleaned Down Under, rather than on Portuguese pitches. The silver lining, now that Farrell is going green-tinted, may be 50/50 calls going the way of Sam Prendergast, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Mack Hansen and Garry Ringrose.

Scotland are expected to have plenty of backline inclusions, when Farrell announces his playing squad, but their coach representative covers the forwards. England, on the other hand, may have as many as eight forwards in the squad, yet Wigglesworth is the kicking coach. Players from certain nations may be asking who will be fighting their corner in those final selection debates.

It is important to note, Farrell can request any coach he wants, and from any union that employees them. It is up to the unions, or clubs, to say yes. Just over two years out from a World Cup, I would argue it behoves the IRFU to have at least one of their top two coaches in-situ for an important summer tour. On this occasion, the IRFU has rolled out the red carpet. Time will tell if that was the right call.

This summer’s dates with the Tier Two sides will have a more developmental, dare I say, Wolfhounds feel to it.

With Farrell gone, and taking a pile of coaches, players and IP with him, Ireland needed Easterby to stick around. Being a British & Irish Lions coach is a big personal milestone, but it comes at the cost of an Ireland side that are in need of stability, and direction. Farrell’s decision to take Easterby just cheapens that summer tour even further. The only benefit to Ireland may be the honour is enough to ward off interest in Easterby from the likes of Scotland or Wales. O’Connell is now back-up to the back-up and it will be hard to get much buy-in from the public.

During the 2021 tour to South Africa, played out in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ireland hosted Japan and USA at Aviva Stadium. For the Japan game, Ireland’s back row was Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris. James Ryan was in the second row, Rónan Kelleher hooker and Hugo Keenan fullback, with Jamison Gibson-Park at scrumhalf. This summer’s dates with the Tier Two sides will have a more developmental, dare I say, Wolfhounds feel to it.

In time, we may come to appreciate the likes of Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Scott Wilson and Thomas Clarkson getting scrummaging tests against a big Georgian pack. We may sit up and take notice when a Sexton-stamped backline move rips into the Portuguese.

In reality, this tour is looking like a token gesture to two nations that would have been keenly anticipating these summer Test matches. The IRFU has given Farrell an awful lot of leeway with his Lions calls.

For Ireland, where is the upside? Will the Lions experience reinvigorate Farrell & Co. before they return to a daunting slate of November fixtures? Will the likes of Fogarty, Easterby and Hammond see rugby in a new light, having mixed and mingled with English, Welsh and Scottish players? Will O’Connell – having actively avoided head coach duties in the past seven years – suddenly get a taste for the top job? Does Sexton get bitten by the coaching bug, and embark on his own path?

Easterby, O’Connell, Sexton and Ronan O’Gara all vying to succeed Farrell after he gets Ireland beyond a World Cup quarter final, in 2027. That is the best-case scenario from the summer that lies ahead, in and away from the spotlight.