Worcester Warriors
Jo Yapp Appointed To Lead The First Women's Lions Tour
By JP
May 27 2026
Jo Yapp appointed as first-ever head coach of British & Irish Lions Women - 'An incredible honour'
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The British & Irish Lions have revealed that Jo Yapp will become the first-ever head coach of the women’s tour party.
Just over a year until the inaugural British & Irish Lions Women’s Series gets underway in New Zealand, Yapp makes history as the first boss.
The Lions will tour New Zealand next summer, engaging in a three-Test series with The Black Ferns, as well as all the other pre-Test fixtures that we have become accustomed to seeing for the men’s touring parties.
Yapp has been working as the Head of Women’s Pathway with England Rugby, and she will take a sabbatical to fulfil her new role.
She begins working in a part-time capacity from July, before ramping up to full-time in January.
Yapp is no stranger to the big stage, having won 70 caps for England in a 12-year career between 1997 and 2009, captaining her country to the 2006 World Cup final in that period.
Upon the end of her playing career, Yapp moved into coaching, and she has gone on to achieve great things off the pitch, too.
Yapp was previously head coach of the England Under-20s side, as well as Worcester Warriors Women and the Barbarians.
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At the 2025 Rugby World Cup, she guided Australia to the quarter-finals, before they came unstuck against eventual runners-up Canada in Bristol.
While the Lions have announced Yapp as their new coach now, she will be officially unveiled on June 9 at an official media conference.
Upon her appointment, Yapp said: "It was an honour to be appointed to the role.
"To lead the first ever British and Irish Lions women's team is an incredible honour and something I'm immensely proud of.
"The Lions represents the very best of our sport and this tour to New Zealand is an opportunity to create something truly special and help shape the future of women's rugby for years to come.
"I know from experience how challenging it is to face the Black Ferns on home soil but that challenge is exactly what makes this Tour so exciting.
"There is an enormous amount of talent across the four unions [England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales] and I'm looking forward to bringing together the very best players to represent the Lions in 2027."
There are likely to be several players from the England women's team selected on the inaugural Women's Lions tour.
There will now be speculation as to who Yapp appoints as the rest of her coaching staff, and with the balance of the squad likely to feature a lot of players from England, there will be pressure to avoid going over the top on those already involved with The Red Roses.
Ieuan Evans, a former Lion himself and the current chair of the British & Irish Lions, said the appointment of Yapp is one that could inspire generations.
He said: ”This appointment reflects our ambition to deliver a Tour that inspires players, supporters and future generations across our four Unions.
”New Zealand is one of rugby’s great touring destinations, with a proud rugby heritage and hugely passionate supporters.
”It will provide a fitting stage for what promises to be a truly historic Tour.”
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27/05/2026 13:08
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