Jo Yapp has been named the head coach for the first women’s British & Irish Lions tour, of New Zealand in 2027. The former England captain is the head of the women’s pathway at the Rugby Football Union and led Australia to the last eight of last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Yapp has been preferred to the England head coach, John Mitchell, for the job. The New Zealander led England to World Cup glory in 2025 and said publicly he would like the job.
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 46-year-old will work part-time for the Lions from July before taking a sabbatical from her RFU role next year to go full time. The rest of the coaching staff, selected from the four home nations, has yet to be confirmed.
The Lions will tour in September next year with the schedule including three Tests against the Black Ferns. New Zealand will be led by Whitney Hansen, who took over in December 2025.
Carol Isherwood, the chair of the Lions women’s committee, said: “This is a hugely significant appointment for women’s rugby and an exciting new chapter in Lions history.
“Jo brings outstanding experience, leadership and understanding of the women’s game and I have no doubt she will play an important role in bringing together and leading the very best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.”
After retiring from playing in 2009, Yapp coached England Under-20s before becoming skills coach at Worcester’s women’s side. She was promoted to head coach and led them until the side folded in 2023.
Yapp’s next role was as the head coach of Australia, becoming the first woman to lead the Wallaroos. She led them to the WXV2 trophy in 2024, which secured the team’s place at the 2025 World Cup, where Yapp was one of three female head coaches.
The Wallaroos reached the quarter-finals, but were knocked out by the eventual runners-up, Canada. Additionally, she has twice coached the Barbarbians.
As a player she was capped for the Red Roses 70 times and represented her country at three World Cups. In two of those tournaments, in 2002 and 2006, England lost to New Zealand in the final.
“I know from experience how challenging it is to face the Black Ferns on home soil,” she said, “but that challenge is exactly what makes this tour so exciting. There is an enormous amount of talent across the four unions and I’m looking forward to bringing together the very best players to represent the Lions in 2027.”
The Lions chief executive, Ben Calveley, said: “Jo’s breadth of experience across the UK club game and the international women’s game in the southern hemisphere made her an outstanding candidate for this role. Her vision for bringing together players from the four unions was hugely compelling and we are thrilled to welcome her on board.
“The selection process was rigorous, competitive and international in scope as befitting the significance of this historic appointment. For a moment that represents such a step forward for the game, it was important to us that this appointment serves our desire to grow and support all aspects of the women’s game including the promotion of female coaches.
“We are delighted to appoint Jo, who we believe will excite players and fans alike as we continue to build towards New Zealand in 2027.”