“Oh, it’d be amazing. I’d absolutely love it.”
We were nearing the end of a 45-minute chat with Sam Warburton, earlier this year, when the prospect of a women’s Lions team was raised. The former Wales and Lions captain’s eyes lit up.
“Obviously, right now, it would be dominated by England players,” he says, “but then the incentive to play rugby would grow massively, and the funding in the other nations would grow too.
“A women’s Lions tour would be awesome. I’d absolutely love to see it.”
The 2021 British & Irish Lions Tour to South Africa is nearing its’ conclusion, with a 2025 jaunt to Australia next on the agenda. There is a possibility, though, that the next Lions tour we see could feature some of the top female players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
Back in March, Royal London – the company that will become ‘Principal Partner’ of the Women’s Lions Programme – announced a feasibility study would be launched into getting a tour up and running in the coming years.
A lot of the big movers and shakers in the world game are making the right noises, but getting so many unions and players, many of whom are amateurs, aligned will not be easy.
We spoke with two Ireland star Claire Molloy, about the possibility of a Women’s Lions Tour, and what it would mean for the game.
“It would be a lovely carrot,” says the Wasps and Ireland flanker, “to be involved and be in that first Women’s Lions team. It would be a great achievement.”
Asked what other Irish players could also be in the mix, she comments:
“The likes of Cliodhna Moloney has been outstanding for Wasps and Ireland. She’s a powerful, dynamic, modern front row. She got two intercepts at the weekend, against Loughborough Lightning, which isn’t too bad for a hooker! She ran the length of the pitch, yet still kept finding people to run into.
“Beibhinn Parsons is a world-class talent, on the wing, and you have someone at centre like Sene Naoupu. You’ve got the work-horses like Ciara Griffin and Nicola Fryday, who go around and do a lot of work quietly. Then exciting talents like Dorothy Wall, who is a unique back row that we have in our squad. So powerful, so strong and she is bringing a lot to our game. There are plenty of talents in our squad who would definitely threaten for Lions places.”
Warburton is corrected, though. Were a Women’s Lions squad to be announced tomorrow, let us say, it would be dominated by English stars.
Emily Scarratt, Jess Breach, Lydia Thompson, Poppy Cleall, Amy Cokayne, Marlie Packer and many, many more would be in the conversation for such a squad of assembled talents.
