The British & Irish Lions have stepped boldly into the post-World Cup vacuum and announced some significant changes to their crest.
The current Lions crest has looked similar since the 1997 tour to South Africa, but change is afoot. The design team commissioned for the project have changed yellows to golds, removed the borders between the four team crests and made some changes to the logos themselves.
The English rose remains virtually untouched and the Welsh logo has been tidied up. The Scottish and Irish logos are the bigger changes, reflecting more recent alterations made by their respective unions.
The old Lions badge
The new Lions badge
Explaining those Lions crest changes
The next British & Irish Lions tour will be to Australia, in 2025. The new Lions crest will appear on all new apparel and merchandise, as well as commercial and marketing collateral.
The following is a PR blurb released by the Lions, along with confirmation of the crest changes:
'The Lions badge has been updated to honour the history and legacy by retaining the fundamental iconography and structure of the badge that has remained consistent for generations, while modernising and simplifying the overall presentation, and achieving a greater sense of unity between nations. The key changes to the badge are as follows:
The representation of each rugby Union’s mark has been adapted to move closer in appearance to that of each Union’s logo, while retaining a degree of individuality, creativity and overall stylistic coherence unique to the Lions badge.
The dividing bars between the nations’ quadrants have been removed, enabling, and representing greater connection between the nations.
The yellow colour that was added to the badge in the early 90s has been replaced by Lions Gold.
The scroll that encased ‘Since 1888’ has been removed to further modernise the badge.
Andy Farrell endorsed for Lions gig
Leading the British & Irish Lions to Australia, in 2025, should be current Ireland head coach, Andy Farrell.
Farrell, who was assistant coach on the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours, is expected to get the top job for the 2025 trip Down Under. In 2022, before Farrell's IRFU contract extension until August 2025 was announced, the union's performance director said many involved would welcome Farrell getting the gig.
Farrell was getting the job, even if Warren Gatland was interested in going as head coach on his fourth Lions tour. As it so happens - handily enough - the Kiwi is happy to leave it at that, and pass on the baton. In his Telegraph column, Gatland wrote:
'A few weeks ago, I was asked by Nigel Walker, Wales’ director of rugby, if I was interested in putting my name forward to be head coach for the next tour in Australia in 2025. It did not take long to get back to him. I told him I was not going to put my name forward. I told Nigel that I would have no problem if any of my support staff were to be asked to be involved as I would see it as a great experience for them.
'But I think it is the opportunity now for someone else to be head coach and Andy Farrell would have my backing for the job. You cannot deny what Ireland have achieved as a nation over the last few years and you are starting to see the fruition of the alignment between the Irish provinces and the union. There is no doubt that Andy has done a fantastic job.'
All that is left will be confirmation from the Lions, in the coming months, that Farrell is the man to lead the Lions to Oz.
Fortunately for Ireland, they have a strong corps of assistant coaches, including Paul O'Connell, Simon Easterby and John Fogarty. Mike Catt [attack coach] is reportedly moving on after the 2024 Six Nations.
