Farrell, close to leading the Lions in 2029: The CEO backs him

Andy Farrell with Credentials to Lead the Lions in 2029

Ben Calveley, chief executive, has backed Andy Farrell’s credentials to continue as head coach of the British and Irish Lions on the 2029 tour to New Zealand. Farrell has guided the Lions to their first series win since 2013. The only defeat on their visit to Australia, which consisted of nine matches, was on Saturday, with a score of 22-12 against the Wallabies in Sydney. Although their path to total victory was halted at the last hurdle, the 50-year-old Irish coach has led a successful tour, highlighted by their results, team cohesion, commitment to the game of rugby, and the character shown in winning the second Test in the final seconds. Planning for 2029 is already underway, with Calveley promising a structure and number of matches similar to the recently completed itinerary, although the last mid-week match will be closely analyzed due to the disruption it causes in the preparation for the Tests. Farrell is the favorite to lead that expedition and Calveley suggests that the most coveted position in British and Irish rugby is currently his to lose.

Joe Schmidt discusses his admiration for his Australia team after their 22-12 victory over the Lions, despite losing the series.

“Andy has done an incredible job and I have really enjoyed working with him”, said Calveley.

Ben Calveley

“I go back to when I first met him to offer him the position. It could be seen at that moment that we had made the right decision in appointing Andy. “Since he started full-time in December, he has brought a real focus to the operation, which ultimately has resulted in success on the field. Now we will give him some time off.” “When it comes to our appointments for future tours, we will begin the process in about two years and I don’t think it’s right to comment on where it ends. But it has certainly been put in a very strong position, let’s say that.” Australia entered the series ranked eighth in the world, and its credibility as a continued Lions tour destination was at stake before the opening match at Suncorp Stadium.

British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell says that, despite losing the third test match against Australia, they should be “really proud” to win the series. Their defeat in Brisbane was an unpromising start, but at the Melbourne Cricket Ground they were 51 seconds away from tying the series before emerging as emphatic winners on Saturday. The Lions won the series with an aggregate score of only 68-67 and their opponents led for longer in the three tests. Considering that the profits are “significantly higher than anything we’ve seen in the past”, it’s clear that the Wallabies will continue to be adversaries for the British and Irish rugby elite. “I absolutely imagine returning to Australia. I know there has been a lot of speculation about whether that would be the case or not, but we’ve had a wonderful tour here,” said Calveley. “It’s 100% our ambition to return and we want the next one to be bigger and better than this one.”

• As it happened: Lions denied series sweep
• Match report: Australia 22-12 British and Irish Lions
• Lions player ratings: Gibson-Park shines in defeat

The Lions are seen as potentially vulnerable to the proposed new breakaway R360 league, but Calveley insists that their pulling power remains as strong as ever. “You’ve seen these quotes coming from players at every stage of the tour, who are absolutely committed to the Lions,” he said. “We all know that we have our place on the calendar integrated into regulation 9 and I don’t see that changing in the future.” “Our relationship with professional gaming is better than ever and I see that continuing in the future.”