The British and Irish Lions women will take on France at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before their historic three-Test tour to New Zealand in 2027. The fixture gives the squad a chance to build momentum and send off the team in front of a strong home crowd.
The women will travel to New Zealand for a five-match tour featuring Tests in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Head coach Yapp's side will hope for a memorable send-off in front of a large Cardiff crowd. Carol Isherwood, chair of the Lions women's committee, described the match as a tremendous rugby occasion and a chance to grow the game and leave a lasting legacy.
A crowd of 21,186 set a record for a Wales women's home game in any sport when they watched England win the Six Nations match at Principality Stadium in 2025. Isherwood, who captained Great Britain in 1986, said she hoped to see a sea of red for the Lions rather than just Wales. The Welsh Rugby Union convinced organisers that Cardiff could host the fixture effectively, citing the stadium, rugby support and the tradition of the women's game in Wales.
Isherwood said the high-profile setting allows girls across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to dream of pulling on the red shirt one day. The match will mark only the second time the Lions have faced France, following a men's friendly win in Paris in 1989.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing