Talking Rugby — Week 1
Jo Yapp appointed head coach of first-ever Women's British & Irish Lions
History was made on 27 May when Jo Yapp was confirmed as head coach of the British & Irish Lions Women's team for their inaugural tour of New Zealand in 2027.
Yapp — a 70-cap England international and former Red Roses captain — will lead the Lions in a three-Test series against the Black Ferns, with additional tour fixtures also planned. She steps back from her current role as Head of Women's Pathway at England Rugby to take the position, initially part-time from July before going full-time in January.
The appointment is significant not just for what it represents — the first women's Lions tour in the competition's history — but for who was chosen to lead it. Yapp brings a strong coaching CV, including leading Australia into the 2025 Rugby World Cup on home soil, and was selected ahead of England head coach John Mitchell, who had publicly expressed interest in the role.
Lions CEO Ben Calveley described Yapp as an outstanding candidate, with the appointment widely seen as a statement of intent for the women's game. Yapp herself called it "an incredible honour."
The Lions face the Black Ferns in September 2027. Further details on the coaching staff will be announced in due course.
England make it eight in a row with Bordeaux Grand Slam
The Red Roses did it again. England secured their eighth consecutive Women's Six Nations title on 17 May, beating France 43-28 in Bordeaux to complete a fifth successive Grand Slam and extend their unbeaten run to 38 Tests.
It wasn't straightforward. France drew first blood through scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus, but England responded with four tries before half-time — Sarah Bern, Ellie Kildunne (twice) and Jess Breach getting on the scoresheet. France fought back to make it 29-21, only for Breach to score again and seal the win.
Kildunne finished the tournament with five tries, 14 line breaks and 620 metres carried. Ireland's Aoife Wafer was arguably the standout performer in the competition, contributing 243 post-contact metres, five tries, four turnovers and 64 tackles across the tournament.
England's dominance of the women's Six Nations is now the longest winning streak in the competition's history. The question, increasingly, is not whether they can be beaten — but who will eventually do it.
Super Rugby Women's season gets underway
The 2026 Super Rugby Women's season kicked off on 6 June, with the NSW Waratahs entering as back-to-back champions. The competition runs until 26 July, with the Women's Super Rugby Champions Final scheduled for 1 August in Sydney.
The Waratahs open against the Fijian Drua at Leichhardt Oval, with Spanish international Anne Fernandez de Corres joining the squad for the season. The Brumbies, under new head coach James Erwin, have bolstered their squad with a blend of emerging local talent and established internationals. The Fijian Drua bring 18 capped Fijiana 15s players from the 2025 Rugby World Cup, including the returning Atelini Buna, who scored six tries on debut in 2024.
For those tracking the global women's game, Super Rugby Women's remains one of the best competitions to watch — fast, physical, and increasingly a proving ground for World Cup ambitions.
Sources: Irish Rugby, Planet Rugby, Sky Sports, Rugby Australia. All stories verified from multiple sources before publication.