Former Australia international David Nucifora will join the British and Irish Lions as general manager of performance ahead of this year’s tour of Australia.
Nucifora has been seconded from Scottish Rugby while Aled Walters, from the Irish Rugby Football Union, will be the head of athletic performance.
Completing the trio of recruits for the 10-fixture tour is Ireland’s Vinny Hammond, who will travel down under as head of analysis.
British Irish Lions Coaching staff (L-R) Aled Walters, David Nucifora, Andy Farrell and Vinny Hammond with the official 2025 British Irish Lions jersey at the Intercontinental Hotel Sydney Harbour, Australia – Monday 13 January 2025
Nucifora is Australian, won two caps in the early 1990s and worked closely with current Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt when they were both employed by the IRFU, while Walters helped South Africa win the 2019 World Cup.
“In David, Aled and Vinny we have three of the absolute best joining us for the tour to Australia this summer, culminating in the highly anticipated Test series against the Wallabies,” Farrell said.
“David’s unrivalled experience will help us shape and deliver such a challenging and exciting rugby program, whilst also bringing essential insight into Australian rugby and the country as a whole.
“Aled is a World Cup winner who has worked with players across England and Ireland and has also coached in Australia and Super Rugby with the Brumbies.
“And Vinny’s Lions pedigree from touring New Zealand and South Africa brings continuity and Lions experience, which will be crucial to success down under.”
Nucifora, who has been seconded from Scotland and will be with the touring party for the entire campaign, quipped that it was a special appointment and one he never dreamt of.
“Having watched the Lions tour Australia over the years, and then playing against them for a Queensland XV in 1989, never did I expect that one day I would be part of their team – but it is funny how sport works,” he said.
“I look forward to drawing on my experiences with Ireland and Scotland in supporting Andy as he goes about building a truly world-class backroom team and squad.”
After working together for years in Ireland, David Nucifora (R) will help Andy Farrell’s Lions touring party on the tour Down Under against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Nucifora’s appointment comes just months after he ended a short consultancy role with Rugby Australia.
Reasons for his abrupt departure have been scant with mystery surrounding his short homecoming, especially given there was much celebration when it was announced that he would consult with his home nation after wrapping up his duties with the Irish Rugby Football Union following the Paris Olympics.
The addition of Nucifora will be seen as a big plus for the Lions given his relationship with second-year Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.
Indeed, Nucifora worked alongside Schmidt at two World Cup campaigns.
Despite their immense success together, the failure to steer Ireland to a maiden World Cup semi-final left a sense of failure about Schmidt’s tenure at the proud rugby nation.
“He’s poured his heart and soul into Irish rugby for 10 years,” said Nucifora, who curiously didn’t mention Schmidt’s name once during a 28-minute presentation to the Irish media following their World Cup disappointment at the end of 2019.
“So he’s gutted by not achieving what we all wanted to achieve. Everyone is shattered by not being able to do it, but that’s the reality of sport.
“He was incredibly honest about it and his only want is to try and help Andy and the next group of coaches to get better, and he wants the players to get better.”
AAP with staff writers
