Jo Yapp named head coach for historic first women’s British & Irish Lions tour
The Story
Jo Yapp has been named head coach for the first women’s British & Irish Lions tour, which will travel to New Zealand in 2027. The former England captain was chosen over England head coach John Mitchell for the role. Yapp will work part-time for the Lions from July 2026 before taking a sabbatical from her Rugby Football Union role next year to go full time.
Key Facts
- Jo Yapp was named head coach for the first women’s British & Irish Lions tour, scheduled for New Zealand in 2027.
- The 46-year-old is a former England captain and currently head of the women’s pathway at the Rugby Football Union.
- Yapp led Australia to the quarter-finals of last year’s Rugby World Cup, where they were knocked out by eventual runners-up Canada.
- She was preferred to England head coach John Mitchell, who publicly expressed interest in the job.
- Yapp stated: “To lead the first British & Irish Lions women’s team is an incredible honour and something I’m immensely proud of.”
- The rest of the coaching staff, selected from the four home nations, has yet to be confirmed.
- The tour in September 2027 will include three Tests against the Black Ferns, led by Whitney Hansen since December 2025.
- Carol Isherwood, chair of the Lions women’s committee, called it “a hugely significant appointment for women’s rugby.”
- As a player, Yapp earned 70 caps for England in three World Cups, losing to New Zealand in the 2002 and 2006 finals.
- Lions chief executive Ben Calveley described the selection process as “rigorous, competitive and international in scope.”
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
The full coaching staff for the tour has not yet been announced. Specific match dates beyond September 2027 are not provided in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Jo Yapp, head coach for first women’s British & Irish Lions tour, former England captain, head of women’s pathway at the RFU
- John Mitchell, England head coach, who expressed interest in the role
- Whitney Hansen, New Zealand head coach since December 2025
- Carol Isherwood, chair of the Lions women’s committee
- Ben Calveley, Lions chief executive
Sources: The Guardian
