British & Irish Lions to make first women's tour
The British and Irish Lions will send a women's team on tour for the first time with a historic trip to New Zealand for a three-Test series in September 2027. The inaugural women's Lions tour will feature three clashes against the Black Ferns. New Zealand have won six of the last seven women's World Cups, including the most recent edition in 2022 – postponed by Covid from 2021 – when over 42,000 spectators filled Eden Park in Auckland to see them beat England 34-31 in the final. The women's Lions tour will not overlap with that year's men's World Cup and will include warm-up fixtures, but the full schedule has yet to be finalised. "Playing three Test matches against the current world champions, the Black Ferns in New Zealand, in front of thousands of fans represents the ultimate challenge and makes for a fantastic sporting spectacle," British and Irish Lions chief executive Ben Calveley said on Tuesday. Men's Lions tours have taken place since 1888, usually every four years and featuring squads comprised of players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The decision to make a first women's Lions tour is a key development in the future of female international rugby. England, who would likely supply the bulk of the touring party, currently top the global women's rankings ahead of second-placed New Zealand. (AFP)