Former England captain Jo Yapp says she desires to “create one thing actually particular” after being named as the primary British and Irish Lions Ladies coach for subsequent 12 months’s inaugural tour in New Zealand.
Yapp gained 70 caps as a scrum-half and went to a few World Cups, main the Pink Roses to the 2006 decider.
After spells with England Ladies Underneath-20s, Worcester Warriors Ladies and the Barbarians, she guided Australia to the ultimate eight of final 12 months’s World Cup earlier than returning to England to take up the function of head of ladies’s pathway.
The Lions Ladies will open their tour with a warm-up match in opposition to a Black Ferns XV in Whangarei on 4 September earlier than three Assessments in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
“To steer the primary ever British and Irish Lions ladies’s staff is an unbelievable honour and one thing I am immensely happy with,” mentioned the 46-year-old.
“The Lions represents the perfect of our sport and this tour to New Zealand is a chance to create one thing actually particular and assist form the way forward for ladies’s rugby for years to come back.
“I do know from expertise how difficult it’s to face the Black Ferns on residence soil however that problem is strictly what makes this Tour so thrilling.
“There is a gigantic quantity of expertise throughout the 4 unions [England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales] and I am trying ahead to bringing collectively the perfect gamers to characterize the Lions in 2027.”
Yapp will work part-time for the Lions from July, earlier than taking a full sabbatical from the RFU to work full-time as Lions head coach from January.
British and Irish Lions chief government Ben Calverley mentioned: “Jo’s breadth of expertise throughout the UK membership recreation and the worldwide ladies’s recreation within the southern hemisphere made her an impressive candidate for this function.
“Her imaginative and prescient for bringing collectively gamers from the 4 unions was massively compelling and we’re thrilled to welcome her on board.
“For a second that represents such a step ahead for the sport, it was vital to us that this appointment serves our want to develop and help all facets of the ladies’s recreation together with the promotion of feminine coaches.
“We’re delighted to nominate Jo, who we imagine will excite gamers and followers alike as we proceed to construct in the direction of New Zealand in 2027.”
