The British and Irish Lions Women's team will play their historic first-ever fixture against France at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday, 27 August 2027, kick-off at 19:30 BST. This landmark encounter serves as a crucial send-off for the squad before they embark on their inaugural tour to New Zealand later that year.
Head coach Jo Yapp leads the newly formed side, which brings together elite rugby talent from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The match in the Welsh capital gives supporters their first opportunity to witness the combined team in action on home soil.
The fixture against the French national side forms part of the newly announced Howden Lions Women's Cup, designed to launch the team into international prominence. Organisers selected Cardiff due to its rich rugby heritage and the strong backing for the sport demonstrated by local fans in recent years.
France enters the fixture ranked fourth in the world and presents a formidable challenge for the newly assembled tourists. The French team reached the semi-final stage of the 2025 World Cup and has finished as runners-up to England in the last seven consecutive Six Nations championships.
Lions head coach Jo Yapp expressed her excitement about the historic announcement regarding the fixture in Cardiff. She noted that moments of this magnitude in sport come around only once and described stepping onto the field for the first time as incredibly special.
Yapp emphasised that France provides the ideal opposition to test her squad before they travel to the Southern Hemisphere. She highlighted the physical and tactical challenges posed by the French side, noting their relentless defence and sharp attacking edge during recent matches.
In recent fixtures, the French national team demonstrated their quality by securing home victories over Australia and Canada during the WXV Global Series. These impressive results underline why the coaching staff views them as the perfect benchmark for the nascent Lions outfit.
Carol Isherwood, chair of the Lions women's committee, underscored the significance of the fixture in growing the sport and establishing a lasting legacy. Isherwood hopes the match will inspire young girls across all four home nations to aspire to wear the famous red jersey.
The Welsh Rugby Union welcomed the decision to host the historic opening match at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Officials anticipate a substantial crowd under the stadium's closed roof to create an intimidating and atmospheric environment for the visiting French players.
Previous landmark women's fixtures in Wales have drawn significant spectator interest, including a record crowd of 21,186 during a Six Nations match against England at the same venue. Committee figures expressed a desire to see the stands filled entirely with a sea of red supporting the Lions.
Ben Calveley, CEO of the British and Irish Lions, described the announcement as a monumental moment in the long history of the institution. He praised the Principality Stadium as a fitting venue to showcase the absolute pinnacle of the women's game.
Calveley reiterated the ambition of the organisation to deliver a spectacle of the highest possible standard both on and off the pitch. The fixture aims to provide fans with an immersive experience and an opportunity to be part of a defining moment in rugby history.
Constructing a cohesive unit from players representing four different nations presents a unique logistical and tactical challenge for the coaching staff. Isherwood likened the swift assembly process to managing a touring exhibition team, such as the Harlem Globetrotters, given the very limited preparation time.
Coaches will need to build a competitive environment rapidly so that players accustomed to different domestic systems can gel effectively. The opening fixture against a settled French team will immediately test the readiness and adaptability of the touring squad.
Historically, men's Lions tours date back to 1888, becoming a cherished tradition in international rugby union. However, fixtures played by Lions teams on home soil have occasionally proved difficult, adding extra pressure to the upcoming Cardiff encounter against more settled opponents.
In past home warm-up matches, the men's Lions team drew with Argentina in Cardiff in 2005 and suffered a defeat against the same opponents in Dublin last year. The women's side will be eager to avoid a similar stumble against their highly competitive European adversaries.
Following the historic clash in Cardiff, the Lions women will travel to New Zealand for a demanding five-match itinerary. The tour schedule features competitive fixtures against regional selections and a historic three-Test series against the Black Ferns.
The New Zealand leg begins on Saturday, 4 September 2027, when the Lions face a Black Ferns XV at Semenoff Stadium in Whangarei. This opening tour match will allow the squad to adapt to local conditions shortly after arriving in the country.
The historic first Test against the New Zealand national team takes place on Saturday, 11 September, at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland. Subsequent midweek action sees the tourists play an Invitational XV at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Tuesday, 14 September.
The second Test of the series is scheduled for Saturday, 18 September, at Sky Stadium in the New Zealand capital of Wellington. The historic tour concludes on Saturday, 25 September, with the third and final Test at the One NZ Stadium in Christchurch.
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