Senior England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth looks set to be part of Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions coaching team in Australia this summer.
Wigglesworth is expected to be confirmed as an assistant when Farrell unveils his full Lions staff, likely to otherwise be dominated by coaches from Ireland, on Wednesday.
The former scrum half has overseen England’s attack since concluding his playing career in the summer of 2023, with the side producing a strong, 10-try performance in their final Six Nations game against Wales.
England boss Steve Borthwick said after that game that he had no contact from Farrell about the prospect of any of his coaching staff going on tour, but the Lions coach appears set to now include Wigglesworth in an assistant role.
Simon Easterby, who filled in for Farrell as interim Ireland head coach during the Six Nations, also looks likely to be part of the staff in Australia, with scrum coach John Fogarty another name in the frame.
Head of strength and conditioning Aled Walters – who left England for Ireland last summer – and David Nucifora, performance manager, have already been confirmed on Farrell’s staff.
Borthwick was an assistant alongside Farrell in 2017 and spoke at the end of the Six Nations of his desire for his coaches to have the chance to get a taste of the Lions experience.
“I’d love them to have the opportunity,” the England head coach said. “I’d love as many of the management team as possible to have that. That Lions experience I had in 2017 was one of the best, if not the best, experiences I’ve had in my life. Working with the best players from four different countries, working with incredible coaches against top class opposition.
“I developed and learned so much as a coach in that period, it was brilliant for me and accelerated my coaching, so I’d love as many other people from the England group to be in there as possible, and I’ll be fully supportive of them all.”
Farrell had just moved in to the Saracens coaching staff when Wigglesworth joined the north London club in 2010, and coached him as a player for both club and country.
Wigglesworth’s absence would leave England in need of a new attack coach for the summer tour of Argentina and the USA. Bath’s Lee Blackett and Northampton’s Sam Vesty are highly rated within the Premiership and have worked with England ‘A’ over the last year or so.
