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British and Irish Lions to send women’s team on New Zealand tour – reports
By PA
The British and Irish Lions are aiming to send a women’s team to New Zealand for a three-Test series in 2027, according to reports.
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The Lions are staging a press conference in London on Tuesday when they are expected to unveil plans for a historic first women’s tour.
The Black Ferns are the current world champions but England, who would supply the bulk of any touring party, top the global rankings.
In 2023 a feasibility study delivered positive initial findings on the prospect of such a tour.
The study investigated key aspects of creating a women’s Lions tour, exploring rugby, brand, commercial, financial, spectator, logistical and scheduling considerations. Work will continue on areas such as the potential structure and timing of a tour before any final decision is made.
“Based on the outcome of these discussions and critical considerations being successfully addressed, a final decision can be made on whether the proposed tour can proceed,” read a Lions statement last February. Lions chief executive Ben Calveley added: “It is extremely positive that a British and Irish Lions women’s tour is possible in the future.
“While there is much to be considered, we are committed to taking the findings of this feasibility study and working closely with our unions, as well as other stakeholders in the coming months. I would like to thank World Rugby and our four unions from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales for their ongoing support.”
Black Ferns World Champion hooker Luka Connor welcomed the prospect of tackling the Lions last year.
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“It would be an amazing opportunity for those players if the British and Irish Lions made a women’s team. Anything that helps grow the women’s game is exciting and if there was a team it would be an awesome display of the best players,” Connor told RugbyPass. “I’m unsure on what the organising for this would be, but it would be cool to tour over there and that could lead them to come to New Zealand too.
“I remember watching the team growing up playing against our New Zealand sides. It was interesting to see this team come together with top players and exciting to watch them play not knowing how the contest would be.”
additional reporting RugbyPass
Bunting had better do a better job preparing the BFs for battle than he did for the WXV. Those performances against France & England were embarrassing at times.
Low physicality & too much airy fairy hit & mostly miss, rubbish. We have to earn the right to chuck it around, beat the opposition up first. We’ve gone backwards at a fast rate of knots from where Smithy & Cronny had us. Even the Wallaroos looked spectacular compared to us when they were bashing up the French.
Sort it out & start with getting some actual steel & go forward in the tight 5. Otherwise you’ll get belted.
A colossal waste of money which will attract no coverage and little interest here or there.
STOP EVERYONE. Clive doesn’t want to watch women’s rugby, so can we all just focus on stopping it from happening please??
Do us all a favour - if you are so disinterested, next time you see a title allude to womens’ rugby, don’t read the article and don’t bother writing a comment.
Funny, that’s what idiots were saying about the RWC2021 too.
this seems like the unions wanting to use the lions brand to try to sell the womens game and increase its popularity.Will it work? Will by 2027 the other nations be pushing england for test places? will thousands of supporters travel to NZ to support a womens lions tour? we also saw with WXV-early kick off times on obscure channels are a huge barrier to draw in new fans.6am on ppv will not get new fans. A tour to france with good kick off times shown on bbc/itv or even NZ travelling to uk and playing tests v a lions team at twickenham/cardiff etc would do much more for the game here. the crowds were terrible in NZ for WXV-why keep taking everything there?
Moan moan moan. “Why keep taking everything there?” Well we did sell out Eden Park for the RWC final in 2022. 43,000 - not bad for a small nation of 5 million, never been done by UK with 67 million or France with 68 million, at any womens rugby game, at that time (later surpassed by womens 6N crowd ENGvFRA). A world record RWC final at our 1st attempt at hosting the women’s tournament, go figure. By all accounts RWC2025 is looking good to break this tournament final record. Let’s hope so, it’s all great for the women’s game.Oh, & not to mention record crowd turnouts at a womens RWC - period!!
As for WXV1, it suffered from all of us all being rugbied out. A new concept which is also great for the women’s game. All three WXV tournaments had low turnouts to be fair. But it’s a great series of steps in the right direction.
Which brings me to the womens Lions tour. As a highly marketed tour, I suggest the crowds will be huge here. Similar to the RWC. I imagine the itinerary will include 3 tests, games against our 4 super rugby franchise teams, & a game against a Farah Palmer Cup selection. How good???
Cheer up man.