The 2027 British & Irish Lions Women's tour to New Zealand, known for sponsorship reasons as the Howden British & Irish Lions Women's Series, is a planned international women's rugby union tour of New Zealand scheduled for September 2027. It will be the first-ever British & Irish Lions Women's tour.
The British & Irish Lions Women, a team selected from players eligible to represent the women's national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, will play a three-match test series against New Zealand, alongside one game against Black Ferns XV, and one against an Invitational XV.
Schedule The fixtures for the inaugural women's tour were announced on 21 January 2026. The tour will culminate with a three-match test series between the Lions and New Zealand, and will also feature a game against an Invitational XV and one against the Black Ferns XV. A pre-tour fixture will be announced later in 2026.
DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueDetailsTBABritish & Irish Lions vTBATBAMatch details4 SeptemberBlack Ferns XV v British & Irish LionsOkara Park, WhangāreiMatch details11 Septemberv British & Irish LionsMount Smart Stadium, AucklandMatch details14 SeptemberInvitational XVv British & Irish LionsWaikato Stadium, HamiltonMatch details18 Septemberv British & Irish LionsWellington Regional Stadium, WellingtonMatch details25 Septemberv British & Irish LionsTe Kaha, ChristchurchMatch details
Venues Wellington Christchurch Hamilton Wellington Regional Stadium Te Kaha Waikato Stadium Capacity: 34,500 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 25,000 Auckland Whangārei Mount Smart Stadium Okara Park Capacity: 24,500 Capacity: 18,500
Squads British & Irish Lions Women Management and staff On 27 May 2026, Jo Yapp was appointed as head coach of the first-ever British & Irish Lions Women's Team. Yapp will take a sabbatical from her role as Head of Women's Pathway at England Rugby to lead the tour, working part-time with the Lions from July 2026 before taking on the role in a full-time capacity from January 2027. Yapp represented England at three Women's Rugby World Cups during her playing career before transitioning into coaching. She been head coach of England U20s Women, Worcester Warriors Women, the Women's Barbarians, and most recently Australia.
ManagementRoleNameChair of The British & Irish Lions Ieuan EvansChair of the Lions Women's Committee Carol IsherwoodChief Executive Ben CalveleyCoachesRoleNameUnion / ClubHead Coach Jo Yapp
Matches British & Irish Lions v TBA
Black Ferns XV v British & Irish Lions
New Zealand v British & Irish Lions (first test)
Invitational XV v British & Irish Lions
New Zealand v British & Irish Lions (second test)
New Zealand v British & Irish Lions (third test)
References