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, the team said on Tuesday. Ireland's head of athletic performance Aled Walters will assume the same role on head coach Andy Farrell's backroom staff after this year's Six Nations Championship.

Welshman Walters, who joins on secondment from the IRFU, said: “The Lions is the absolute pinnacle and my earliest memory of them was watching the 1989 Australia Tour as an eight-year-old and celebrating Ieuan Evans’ try in the Third Test.

David has been appointed General Manager, Performance and will work with the Lions on a handful of occasions in advance of the tour, before joining the squad full-time when it assembles in early June,

Australia will host Fiji in Newcastle on July 6 in what will be the Wallabies' sole warmup before taking on the touring British and Irish Lions, Rugby Australia said on Tuesday.

David Nucifora, Aled Walters, Vinny Hammond appointed general manager, head of athletic performance, head of analysis respectively for 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia; Sky Sports will e

Andy Farrell has started to put in place his backroom staff for the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia with the appointments of David Nucifora, Aled Walters and Vinny Hammond.

The British and Irish Lions have confirmed three appointments to Andy Farrell’s backroom team for this summer's Tour to Australia. David Nucifora has come on board as General Manager, Performance – joining up with the touring group from Scottish Rugby, where he holds a similar role.

David Nucifora has been confirmed as a member of Andy Farrell's backroom team with the British and Irish Lions next summer, while Farrell has also included Aled Walters and Vinnie Hammond from his Irish rugby staff.

David Nucifora is set to become the first Australian to join the coaching staff of the British and Irish Lions, just a year after being recruited to help rebuild Aussie rugby.

LIONS BOSS ANDY Farrell has confirmed the appointments of Ireland coaching staff members Aled Walters and Vinny Hammond to his touring set-up for the Lions, while former IRFU performance director David Nucifora will also joins Farrell’s group.