Jo Yapp Prepares Coaching Staff for Women’s British and Irish Lions New Zealand Tour

Jo Yapp, head coach of the women’s British and Irish Lions, has consulted former men’s Lions coach Andy Farrell to develop her staffing strategy for the first-ever tour of New Zealand in 2027. According to The Guardian, Yapp is leveraging Farrell’s experience from the 2025 men’s winning tour to build a trusted coaching environment for the inaugural squad.

Yapp, who led Australia during the 2025 World Cup, was appointed as the women’s Lions head coach in May 2026. She has already begun preparations by seeking advice from Farrell, who currently serves as the head coach of Ireland. Yapp told The Guardian that drawing on previous experiences is essential to the tour’s success.

I think it is really important to draw on the experiences before. I have already spoken to Andy Farrell who was really helpful so my plan is to make sure we pick the brains of those who have gone before because it would be naive not to use that experience. Jo Yapp

How is Jo Yapp selecting her coaching staff?

Yapp has not yet named her full coaching staff but is focusing on trust and compatibility. She noted that Farrell emphasized the importance of surrounding a head coach with the right people. Yapp stated her objective is to create the strongest possible environment for the players by getting the “best people in the room.”

The Lions have not confirmed a date for the official announcement of the coaching appointments.

Will the Lions team be dominated by England players?

The potential for an England-heavy roster has become a point of discussion among fans due to the dominance of the Red Roses. The England side currently holds the title of world champions and has maintained a winning streak of 38 consecutive games.

Yapp told The Guardian that while the Red Roses are strong, she is monitoring talent across all participating unions. She is specifically tracking performances in the Six Nations, Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR), and the Celtic Challenge.

Yapp asserted that there are many high-quality players across different unions who are competing for selection. She stated that she is looking forward to seeing how players “put their hands up” in the games remaining before the 2027 tour.

Why was New Zealand chosen for the 2027 tour?

Lions CEO Ben Calveley defended the selection of New Zealand as the site for the inaugural women’s tour, stating the organization stands by the decision. While some have suggested that France might have attracted larger crowds, Calveley said New Zealand is the “right location” to start the series.

Calveley confirmed that a second women’s Lions tour is scheduled for 2031. He indicated that the women’s team is not required to visit the same countries the men’s teams have historically toured. He suggested the organization may explore “completely new and different territories” for future iterations, which could include France.

Why did Matthew Smith resign from the RFU?

In a separate development, Matthew Smith has resigned as the chair of the Warwickshire RFU. His resignation follows a disciplinary process regarding a discriminatory Facebook post directed at World Cup winner and pundit Maggie Alphonsi.

Smith’s privileges were suspended following a disciplinary hearing in May 2026 after he posted: “Can someone please explain to me WTF does Maggie Alphonsi know about men’s rugby?”

A statement from the Warwickshire RFU confirmed the resignation and stated that the organization takes issues of sexism and misogyny seriously.