Impact of Lions tour on Ireland's rugby ideology
The British & Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2025 has left a significant impact on Irish rugby, with coach Andy Farrell and his team adopting a more pragmatic game plan following their learnings from the tour.
During the tour, the Lions fielded a few game-changing behemoths, including Ellis Genge and Joe McCarthy, but the tour was not just a means for Farrell to mine information or develop players for Ireland. Instead, it was considered a standalone entity, a chance to test strategies and tactics against some of the best in the world.
One trend that has seeped into Irish rugby is the pragmatic gameplan pioneered by the Springboks. The Lions, under Farrell, adopted a similar strategy during the tour, playing with less of the ball and having a lower kick-to-pass ratio. This approach, focused on efficiency rather than volume of attacks, is now being embraced by Ireland.
In the third Test, Australia was both more efficient and dominant in terms of attacking volume, winning the game. However, analysis during the Test series focused on the impact of certain power athletes, such as Will Skelton, Rob Valetini, and Taniela Tupou, in the games they played. Skelton carried for 12 metres in Test one and 16 metres in the second, Tupou made 19 metres in his lone Test, and Valetini made 28 metres in 40 minutes.
Despite having fewer carries, Australia made 273 post-contact metres in the first Test, which increased to 352 metres in the second Test. This shows the impact these big boppers had on the team's performance. Tadhg Beirne was the only forward in the second Test who made more carries (34) and he was fit enough to last the full 80 minutes.
Farrell is expected to double down on this pragmatic game plan with Ireland. His leadership on the Lions tour showcased how a coach’s belief can empower players to perform confidently. Ben Earl noted that Farrell made him "fully believe in how good I am," inspiring greater commitment. The team under Farrell emphasized playing in “whirlwinds of excellence” — sustained periods of near-perfect accuracy and high physicality lasting 20 to 30 minutes.
This modern rugby philosophy embraces managing player energy, allowing for focused "purple patches" that decide games rather than chasing constant intensity. Such an approach balances physicality with tactical precision and could shape Ireland’s development programs to build players capable of these high-impact bursts.
Farrell’s experience integrating the Lions’ best from multiple nations offered lessons in team unity, pressure handling, and psychological readiness, factors crucial to Ireland’s ambitions on the world stage.
Mack Hansen, despite injury concerns, performed well on the Lions tour, ranking highly in several attacking categories. He ranked fifth for defenders beaten, first for line breaks, fifth for metres made, joint first for try assists, and fourth for line-break assists. Tommy O'Brien's form on the right wing for Leinster and Ireland while on tour of Georgia and Portugal could pose a selection threat to Mack Hansen.
Edwin Edogbo, a Munster lock, could be a name to watch out for in the new season, as he appears to be returning to fitness after tearing his Achilles over a year ago.
In summary, the tour reinforced for Farrell and his staff the importance of building player confidence and belief in their abilities, the tactical use of high-intensity performance windows within matches, managing player focus and physicality to maintain effectiveness throughout a game, and insights into psychological preparation and leadership developed from international multi-nation team management. These learnings are likely to influence Ireland’s rugby style by sharpening their physical and mental edge while structuring training and development to optimize peak performance phases.
[1] BBC Sport [2] The Guardian
The British & Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2025 has left a significant impact on Irish rugby, with coach Andy Farrell embracing a pragmatic game plan that prioritizes efficiency over volume of attacks. This new approach, inspired by the Springboks, could shape Ireland's development programs to build players capable of high-impact bursts during matches.
Under Farrell's leadership, the Irish team aims to maintain physicality and tactical precision, striking the ideal balance between intensity and focus, as learned from the Lions tour and the insight gained from international multi-nation team management.
