Ireland: Paul O’Connell named interim coach for summer tour because of Simon Easterby’s Lions role

Paul O’Connell has been named Ireland’s interim head coach for the summer tour of Georgia and Portugal after Simon Easterby was appointed to the British and Irish Lions coaching team.

Defence coach Easterby was given the Ireland interim head coach for the recent Six Nations because Andy Farrell is on a sabbatical from the role as he prepares to lead the Lions in Australia.

However, Farrell, as expected, has named Easterby in a Lions coaching team which will also have further Ireland representation in scrum coach John Fogarty and backs coach Andrew Goodman.

This led the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to later confirm that forwards coach O’Connell, 45, will take charge of the Ireland squad in the Tests against Georgia and Portugal which take place on 5 July and 12 July.

The remainder of the Ireland coaching team for the summer Tests is expected to be announced next week.

The venues and kick-off times for the two games are yet to be confirmed.

Ireland’s tour squad is likely to be considerably understrength with a large contingent of their regulars expected to be in contention for Lions selection.

Munster great O’Connell, who won 108 Ireland caps and played on three Lions tours including the 2009 series where he captained the side in South Africa, was appointed Ireland forwards coach in 2021 after Easterby switched to the defence coach role.