Andy Farrell is set to take a number of his Ireland coaching counterparts on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia this summer. The 49-year-old is due to confirm his team on Wednesday, but news of his appointments has already been linked.

The most eye-catching development surrounds Simon Easterby, who took interim charge of the Irish team during the Six Nations. Farrell opted to take a sabbatical from his role as head coach to focus on leading the Lions in Australia this summer.

Easterby had been expected to continue in his current role for Ireland’s summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal, and had also been linked with the Wales job following the end of Matt Sherratt’s interim spell. However, according to the Irish Times, the 49-year-old will be unveiled as the Lions’ defence coach.

Ireland backs coach Andrew Goodman is reportedly set to be named as attack coach, while scrum coach John Fogerty will carry out the same role with the Lions. However, Paul O’Connell is said to have turned down a place on the tour, and will instead take charge of Ireland in Farrell and Easterby’s absence.

Farrell will still wait to confirm his coaching staff on Wednesday morning officially. His final squad for the tour will then be announced at a live ceremony at the O2 on May 8.

Before heading to Australia, Farrell’s squad will face Argentina in Dublin on June 20. Their opening tour game is against Western Force in Perth eight days later.

The first Test will be held in Brisbane on July 19 before further games against the Wallabies in Melbourne and Sydney. The Lions have not won a series since their last visit to Australia 12 years ago, when they prevailed 2-1 under Warren Gatland.

Farrell was an assistant coach on that trip and in New Zealand in 2017. However, he made himself unavailable for the 2021 tour to South Africa after taking charge of Ireland two years earlier.