Farrell, favorite to lead the Lions in 2029: Calveley backs him

Andy Farrell, favorite to lead the British & Irish Lions in 2029

Chief Executive Ben Calveley has backed Andy Farrell’s credentials to continue as head coach of the British and Irish Lions for the 2029 tour of New Zealand. Farrell has guided the Lions to their first series win since 2013, with the 22-12 defeat to the Wallabies in Sydney being the only loss in their nine matches in Australia.

Although the quest for total triumph was halted at the last obstacle, the 50-year-old Irish coach has led a successful tour, highlighted by his results, team cohesion, commitment to rugby, and the character demonstrated by 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 match of the week 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.

Farrell, favorite to lead the Lions in 2029: Calveley backs him

2:37 Schmidt ‘delighted to get one back’ vs. the LionsJoe Schmidt talks about the admiration he feels for his Australian team after their 22-12 victory over the Lions, despite losing the series. “Andy has done an incredible job and I’ve really enjoyed working with him,” said Calveley. “I remember the first time I 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 has ultimately 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 up. But it has certainly been put in a very strong position, let’s put it that way.” Australia entered the series in eighth place in the world and their credibility as a Lions tour destination was on the line before the opening match at Suncorp Stadium.

1:58 Farrell: The players should be really proud of themselvesThe British and Irish Lions head coach, Andy Farrell, says that, despite losing the third test match against Australia, they should be “really proud” of winning 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 overall score of only 68-67 and their opponents led for a longer time in the three tests. When considering the gains that are “significantly higher than anything we’ve seen in the past”, it is clear that the Wallabies will remain adversaries for the British and Irish rugby elite.

“I absolutely foresee 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.
Ben Calveley

“It’s 100% our ambition to return and we want the next one to be bigger and better than this one.”

Lions are considered potentially vulnerable to the proposal of a new R360 professional league, but Calveley insists that their drawing power remains as strong as ever. “You’ve seen these quotes 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 in the calendar incorporated in 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.”