Jo Yapp wants the best possible Lions squad for New Zealand tour, but not necessarily all England

British and Irish Lions women’s head coach Jo Yapp says she will select the strongest possible squad for the inaugural tour of New Zealand next summer, even if that means the group is heavily influenced by world champions England.

Yapp’s comments underline the scale of the challenge facing the Lions as they prepare for their first women’s tour. With England having established themselves as the leading force in the women’s game, there is already speculation that many of the touring players could come from the Red Roses setup.

Yapp focused on quality over nationality balance

The Lions coach has made it clear that selection will be based on performance and suitability rather than any attempt to force a more even split between the home nations. Her priority is to assemble the best squad available for the trip to New Zealand, where the Lions will take on top-level opposition in a landmark tour.

That approach could naturally favour England players, but Yapp’s stance suggests she is determined to avoid picking a squad simply to satisfy representation concerns. Instead, she wants the touring party to reflect the highest standard of rugby available across the British and Irish game.

Historic tour brings new selection questions

The 2026 tour will be the first women’s British and Irish Lions tour, making squad selection especially significant. The announcement has already prompted debate about how the team should be built and whether the strength of England’s current side will dominate the conversation.

Yapp’s message, however, is straightforward: the Lions will aim to be elite. That means the final squad will be shaped by form, quality and the demands of facing New Zealand, rather than by any fixed quota from England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland.

For Yapp, the task is to create a side capable of competing at the highest level on a historic tour. For players across the home nations, it means the race for selection is likely to be intense, with every place earned on merit.