The greening of the 2025 Lions tour to Australia continued on Wednesday morning when Andy Farrell appointed his five assistant coaches, three of whom are currently involved in the Irish rugby set up.
Irish rugby coaches Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty all got the nod to accompany Farrell Down Under, while, Scotland's John Dalziel and England's Richard Wigglesworth claimed the other two spots.
The latest Irish additions to Farrell's coaching staff only complement the earlier appointment of David Nucifora, Aled Walters and Vinny Hammond, all of whom Farrell worked with in Ireland. Nucifora was the IRFU's high-performance director until 2024, while both Hammond and Walters are currently part of the backroom staff as head of analysis and performance respectively.
That team of staff will now be charged with whittling an initial list of 75 contenders down to 40-odd players by May 8th. Of the most competitive areas they'll consider is out-half.
Finn Russell is widely considered to be the nailed-on option to start, but competition for the second and third spots is fierce. Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley, Fin Smith, and Finn Russell are all shoo-ins, while Owen Farrell, if fit, will also be in contention to tour.
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8 March 2025; Sam Prendergast of Ireland during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and France at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Ben Youngs thinks key selection factor will put Sam Prendergast on Lions plane
Speaking on For the Love of Rugby, England legend Dan Cole earmarked that ten position as one where Andy Farrell and his coaches will have to avoid bringing anyone who could be a 'pain in the arse' if they don't start.
A lot of media and some fans don't understand that some players can start, and if they can't start, you can't have them in your squad because they'll be a pain in the arse. Small things like in training like, often second or third choice will run opposition moves and help prep the test team, they'll attack as the brumbies do....those tens will understand that role and do it, and you need someone to do it, but there's some guys in the world who can't do that because they're so used to starting and they don't want to do that role.
So you pick a squad where the third best ten, or the third best 12 may not technically be the third best player, he may not start for his country but actually he fits that role in the squad.
Pondering the prospect, England's most capped player Ben Youngs, felt that the need to avoid those players who could be problematic if they don't start, could work in Sam Prendergast's favour and earn him a spot on the plane to Australia.
That got me thinking about Prendergast. He's still very young in his international career, they're two years away from a World Cup, they need to fast track his development as a ten because it looks like he is the ten they're going with. He could almost go on the Lions Tour and be that third choice, with the obvious opportunity of pushing on.
You'd say Finn Russell goes in as first, and then I believe it's between a Marcus and a Fin Smith for the second slot.
I think Prendergast comes in as that third guy, that is in that role, probably a really good tourist, gonna drive that team, happy to run and prep the team for the first test. Equally, (for) Ireland what an opportunity to fast track his development, because in two years time they're going to a world cup and need a ten with more experience than he's got.
The two-time Lions tourist received no objections from his fellow pundit Dan Cole who agreed that the need for a 'prep' ten could work in Prendergast's favour as he looks to cap his exponential rise by donning the famous jersey.
Farrell has already proved that he both trusts and is loyal to Sam Prendergast. The Ireland head coach famously overlooked the Leinster man's inexperience him and entrusted him with the Ireland no. 10 shirt for the final two tests of the November internationals. Since then Prendergast has gone on to cement his starting role in Leinster and start four of Ireland's five Six Nations clashes.
While the Lions may be a step too far for Farrell, Cole and Young's argument will certainly make for an entertaining team revelation come May if the young Irish rugby out-half can squeeze his way in.
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