Scotland's Nucifora set for British and Irish Lions role

Scottish Rugby's performance director David Nucifora is set for a shock role on the British and Irish Lions staff for the upcoming tour of his native Australia.

Nucifora worked closely with Lions coach Andy Farrell during his 10 years at Ireland, a spell which yielded four men's Six Nations titles.

He left Irish Rugby at the end of the 2023-2024 season before joining the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) last August.

It's understood Nucifora will fulfil a similar performance role with the Lions and will be seconded from the SRU to join Farrell's team.

His knowledge of Australian rugby, as well as the home nations, is considered to be a major asset as the Lions look to win a Test series for the first time in 12 years.

After winning the Rugby World Cup with the Wallabies in 1991, Nucifora coached the ACT Brumbies to great success in the 2000s and was general manager of the Australian Rugby Union High Performance Unit from 2009.

Farrell has yet to officially confirm any of his coaching appointments, although strength and conditioning guru Aled Walters, who joined Ireland from England in the summer, is almost certainly set to be involved.

Wales boss Warren Gatland, who led the Lions on three successive tours from 2013 to 2021, told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast this week he was surprised Farrell was leaving it late to build his backroom staff.

"I thought Andy might have done it after the autumn, and he has left it a little bit later than I may have done," Gatland said.

"I think you need some continuity, but he will also want maybe a fresh face, and there is no doubt [he will go] for some people involved in his own set-up."

Ireland forwards coach Paul O'Connell, a Lions legend as a player, is a leading contender to be involved, but defence coach Simon Easterby has taken interim charge of Ireland in Farrell's absence.