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Andy Farrell has hinted that he wouldn’t be adverse to a return as British and Irish Lions head coach for the 2029 tour to New Zealand.
“Everyone knows what I think about this concept,” he said after the third and final test. “I love everything that the Lions is about, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last eight weeks. There’s always ups and there’s always downs but the inner circle is a special place to be. Read into that what you want.”
He certainly deserves first refusal. After all he won the series, won all the tour matches, and has now not lost any of the series he has been involved in.
Farrell is also the type of person who won’t be surprised by and who will stand up to the relentless gaze that will come the Lions way in New Zealand.
He will also have learned from the final test and be more prepared if he needs his players to raise their levels for a third week in a row, something they failed to do in Sydney.
For now, he will go back to leading Ireland and preparing them for the Australia 2027 World Cup. But if Farrell doesn’t fancy taking charge in New Zealand, who else is there?
Steve Borthwick, England
It has been a slow build from the former Leicester Tigers coach, and while he comes over as a steady old stick, he is one or rugby’s great thinkers.
He also has some useful experience. Assistant coach to Eddie Jones at Japan and England, Gallagher Premiership champion with Leicester, and an unexpected third place finish with England at France 2023.
Things began to click with England in this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, though would the Lions’ need to hit the ground running clash with his more methodical approach.
Gregor Townsend - Scotland
A former test Lion, and a crucial part of the 1997 series win in South Africa. He was attack coach on the 2021 South Africa tour.
Townsend also enjoyed a varied playing career with spells in England, France, South Africa, and Australia, as well as his native Scotland.
Before taking the Scotland job, he won the (then) Pro 12 title with Glasgow Warriors and since taking over at Murrayfield he has established Scotland as a team that may not be up with the most resourced teams, but one that can certainly hurt them if given the chance. Just ask England, who went from 2020 to 2025 without the Calcutta Cup.
Toony has made Scotland a highly entertaining team. He buried the hatchet with Finn Russell after earlier personality clashes and has been rewarded by the flyhalf bringing the best out of Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, and Duhan van der Merwe.
Joe Schmidt - Australia (for now)
Who better to lead the next tour, than the man who tried to defeat the current crop?
Kiwi Schmidt knows Home Nations rugby well, has seen what works and doesn’t work on a Lions tour, and importantly knows how to beat them. So just turn the tables?
He worked wonders with Ireland, and his assistance helped New Zealand catch fire to reach the France 2023 World Cup final.
His family situation means he can’t take on any long-term projects, so the Lions’ window of 18 months – with a large proportion in New Zealand - would suit him well.
Mark McCall - Saracens
An Irishman who made his name in England, and coached plenty of Scottish and Welsh internationals, McCall offers a rounder figure with no obvious recent link to a national team.
During his time at Saracens, he has won three Champions Cups and six Premiership titles. He also shaped many of the recent Lions’ players careers, most notably Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell.
Saracens are currently in a rebuild with the likes of Itoje, Jamie George, and Farrell, entering the twilight of their careers. But owner Nigel Wray will definitely consider it a feather in his Saracens cap if McCall gets the call.
Ronan O’Gara – La Rochelle
Another Irishman who has made great strides as a coach, notably winning two Champions Cups with La Rochelle, and a Super Rugby title with the Crusaders (as an assistant).
O’Gara has gone to great lengths to develop his career and has admitted that international rugby is something he wants to coach.
As a flyhalf with Munster he won two Champions Cups, played in three World Cups and toured three times with the Lions. This year he has been a highly entertaining and insightful pundit with the UK and Irish broadcaster Sky Sports.
Would being top man be too soon? Or will he be an assistant in a country where he learned so much and is highly respected?
It was a path that worked for Warren Gatland and Farrell.
Eddie Jones – Japan
There would be no complaints that the 2029 tour was too ‘nice’, nor lacking in controversy or soundbites with Eddie in charge.
As a proud Aussie he would love a shot at the Kiwis, but also the chance to show the Brits and Irish that it takes an Aussie to win a series in New Zealand.
An avid watcher of players, teams, and trends, Jones would reach new levels of intensity with the Lions. But would his relentless drive be too much on a long tour? Would there be too much controversy and too many soundbites?
Currently, he’s working his way back as a coach with Japan after his World Cup debacle with the Wallabies, his stock hasn’t quite risen enough to put him in with a shout. Still, if he pulls off another miracle with Japan at Australia 2027, who knows what would unfold?
It would certainly be entertaining.