Johnny Sexton appointed assistant coach for 2025 Lions Tour
Johnny Sexton appointed assistant coach for 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia
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Former Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has been officially appointed as an assistant coach for the British & Irish Lions ahead of their 2025 tour of Australia.
This marks a significant return to Lions duty for Sexton, who played in the 2013 and 2017 tours and now transitions into a strategic leadership role.
Sexton shared his excitement about the appointment and the opportunity to contribute from the sidelines:
"I am hugely excited to continue the next chapter in my coaching journey with The British & Irish Lions and I would like to thank Andy for this incredible opportunity.
It promises to be an exciting tour to Australia and I know from experience the challenges that await us. Playing for the Lions was a huge ambition of mine during ... ."
Head coach Andy Farrell, who has a long-standing coaching relationship with Sexton, praised his former fly-half’s commitment and influence:
"I coached Johnny for the very ... . His influence on that Lions team and that Series win, our only win in the last 24 years, should not be underestimated. His fight and his dedication as a ... ."
Alongside his duties with the Lions, Sexton is set to begin a full-time coaching role with the Irish Rugby Football Union from August 1. In this capacity, he will contribute to development programmes across men's and women's teams, from youth levels to senior squads.
Sharing his vision for Ireland’s rugby future, Sexton said: "I am excited to join the IR ... -time basis and am extremely passionate about ... .
"I've been extremely fortunate to have great ... . The level of investment and focus on the pathways in Ireland is really encouraging and I believe the future is really bright for men's and women's rugby in Ireland."
The upcoming Lions tour will kick off with a fixture against Argentina in Dublin, serving as a curtain-raiser before the squad heads to Australia. There, the team will play five warm-up matches before beginning a three-Test series against the Wallabies on July 19, July 26 and August 2.
