Tana Umaga to coach against British and Irish Lions in Australia
Moana Pasifika head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga , 2025.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
Moana Pasifika mentor
Tana Umaga will coach against the
British and Irish Lions
in Australia in July.
Umaga will be one of Toutai Kefu's assistants for the historic First Nations & Pasifika Invitational XV match against the
Lions
in Melbourne on 22 July.
Former Wallaby forward and Tonga coach Kefu was confirmed as Head Coach last week.
His coaching staff will include leaders representing Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and First Nations communities.
The son of Samoan parents, Umaga represented the All Blacks in 74 Tests before embarking on a successful 16-year career as coach across teams in France, New Zealand and the Pacific.
Wallabies stalwart and Shimizu Blue Sharks coach Sekope Kepu will also serve as an Assistant Coach.
Kepu was born in Sydney to Tongan parents and went on to represent the Wallabies in 110 Tests between 2008 and 2019 in addition to provincial stints in France, the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
Former Fiji Test forward and coach Simon Raiwalui is also included along with Wallaby No. 621 Glen Ella, a Yuin and Bidjigal man representing the First Nations community.
Ella, one of three brothers to have represented the Wallabies, has previously held down mentor roles with Australia and Canada.
Les Kiss
was named as the AUNZ Invitational XV head coach and will be assisted by former All Blacks boss Ian Foster.
Kiss, the Queensland Reds coach, will take over the Wallabies coaching role from Joe Schmidt in 2026.
British and Irish Lions 2025 Tour of Australia
28 June - Western Force v British & Irish Lions, Optus Stadium, Perth
2 July -Queensland Reds v British & Irish Lions, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
5 July - New South Wales Waratahs v British & Irish Lions, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
9 July - ACT Brumbies v British & Irish Lions, GIO Stadium, Canberra
12 July - AUNZ Invitational XV v British & Irish Lions, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
19 July Wallabies v British & Irish Lions, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
22 July - First Nations & Pasifika XV v British & Irish Lions, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
26 July - Wallabies v British & Irish Lions, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
2 August - Wallabies v British & Irish Lions, Accor Stadium, Sydney
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