Jo Yapp has been appointed head coach for the inaugural women's British & Irish Lions tour, which will take place in New Zealand in 2027. The former England captain currently serves as head of the women's pathway at the Rugby Football Union and previously led Australia to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Rugby World Cup.
Yapp, 46, was chosen ahead of England head coach John Mitchell, who had publicly expressed interest in the role. She will work part-time for the Lions from July before taking a sabbatical from her RFU position next year to focus full-time on the tour. The rest of the coaching staff, drawn from the four home nations, has yet to be confirmed.
Yapp said: 'To lead the first British & 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.'
The tour is scheduled for September 2027 and will include three Tests against the Black Ferns, who are now led by head coach Whitney Hansen. Carol Isherwood, chair of the Lions women's committee, described the appointment as 'a hugely significant moment for women's rugby'.
Yapp's playing career included 70 caps for England and appearances at three World Cups, with defeats to New Zealand in the 2002 and 2006 finals. After retiring in 2009, she coached England Under-20s and Worcester's women's side before taking charge of Australia, becoming the first woman to lead the Wallaroos. She guided them to the WXV2 title in 2024 and a World Cup quarter-final appearance in 2025.
