Farrell backs Nucifora to add excitement to Lions

After being chosen to lead the British and Irish Lions’ summer tour of Australia, David Nucifora has been hailed as one of the “absolute best.”

The 63-year-old worked with Ireland’s Lions head coach Andy Farrell for a decade in a similar capacity with Scotland since last year.

The former hooker won the 1991 World Cup with Australia, having played for Queensland against the Lions two years earlier.

Never did I anticipate playing for the Lions’ team in a 1989 Queensland XV match against them, but it’s funny how sport works, said Nucifora, “never did I expect that one day I would be a part of their team.”

After moving into coaching, he enjoyed a successful three-season stint with the ACT Brumbies, before leading Australia’s high-performance unit.

At the conclusion of the Six Nations in March, Welshman Aled Walters will lead the Lions’ strength and conditioning team. They will work together with Irishman Farrell.

Vinny Hammond, an analyst with Ireland, will join up for a third successive tour having been part of the Lions ‘ 2017 and 2021 series against New Zealand and South Africa.

“In David, Aled and Vinny we have three of the absolute best joining us”, added Farrell.

Farrell and Walters traveled to Australia earlier this month to check on possible team bases and locations while Farrell was accompanied by them on a reconnaissance trip.

Nucifora will work with the Lions “on a consulting basis,” but he has already started working with Farrell and will remain with the squad throughout the tour.

In supporting Andy as he works to develop a truly world-class backroom team and squad, he said, “I look forward to drawing on my experiences with Ireland and Scotland.”

The Lions’ first game of the season will be against Western Force in Perth on June 28 and kick off against Argentina in Dublin on June 20.