Bernard Jackman says Ireland’s summer games against Georgia and Portugal can’t afford to be devalued by their growing representation on the British and Irish Lions tour.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell will be leading the Lions for their tour of Australia, while three of his Ireland assistants have also now been drafted into the coaching group, as well as two other key members of staff.
Defence coach Simon Easterby, who was interim head coach for Ireland in the Six Nations, has been brought into the Lions backroom team, as well as attack coach Andrew Goodman and scrum coach John Fogarty. Head of athletic performance Aled Walters and the IRFU’s lead analyst Vinny Hammond will also be part of the Lions…