What is Lions Women Engagement Day?
As part of our partnership with The British & Irish Lions, we’re investing in an annual gathering of players and coaches from across the four Home Unions to help build and shape the Lions Women’s programme. As something that’s never been done before, we have an opportunity to allow players to input and build a Lions Women’s experience that encapsulates what they want and need, celebrating the spirit of unity, collaboration and progress that defines the British & Irish Lions Women’s Team.
In January 2026, the second annual Royal London Lions Women Engagement Day saw past and present rugby stars from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales come together in Edinburgh as part of the Lions Women’s journey. Hosted by England and Lions legend Ugo Monye, the day leant heavily on getting the input of players and involving them in the important conversations that will go on to affect those chosen as part of the first ever Lions Women’s squad, and those in the future too. The topics discussed included kit, branding, future tour destinations, and the touring environment. There were also sessions on the origins of the Lions Women’s Team, including Royal London’s pivotal role and investment.
Whether or not these players one day don the iconic Lions jersey, their contribution is already etched in history. Together, we’ve laid the foundations for future generations to dream big and believe in their potential.
Find out more about Engagement Day 2 here:
Transcript
Ugo Monye
Welcome to the Royal London British & Irish Lions Women’s Engagement Day 2026. It's amazing to all be in this room here together.
Ben Calveley
It’s the second Engagement Day that we've held, and today we brought together 40 players, so 10 from each of the countries that make up the Lions, and this is the opportunity for them to really shape what this Tour looks like.
Carol Isherwood
Fantastic to have some more players in the room to connect with, to get them to understand what it's going to be and what it could be like. It's an opportunity for us to give those players and staff the most amazing experience that they'll remember forever. The opportunity to grow the game and use the Lions brand to think about how we get more women and girls playing, grow the game, globally as well as in our home unions and in New Zealand.
And also, the chance for us to write the next page in the Lions history about that first ever Women's Tour, and to become part of the Lions rugby family.
Courtney Keight
The fact that we have our voices listened to is huge and there were definitely differences of opinions, which is so good because you can get what the best thing is for everyone out of it. So yeah, I think that being part of that and being listened to is huge, so such valuable experience for us.
Kelsey Jones
To see it all come to life, to think that two years ago it probably was just an idea, a rumour as such. And then today to see it actually all happening and the collaboration between getting our ideas as well to go forward.
Sarah Bonar
Having our voice heard on all aspects of it, whether it's kit or potentially who we play, and potentially having that sort of influence - it is really cool.
Courtney Keight
We've all grown up watching the Men's Lions Tour, so the fact that now that's in reach for us as players, it just spurs everyone on… it's a dream, and you believe you can achieve it. It's so amazing that that's actually a possibility now.
Ieuan Evans
Not only is it absorbing all that information that’s going to be thrown the players’ way, but actually players can inform and shape what the Tour’s going to look like. And you can see there’s an excitement because it's two Six Nations away. In a blink of an eye the Tour will be upon us, and then we will be on the plane boarding to New Zealand.
Kelsey Jones
It’s what dreams are made of and now those dreams could be made into memories, like Ieuan said earlier on, so super, super excited to see where it can go.
At our first Engagement Day in November 2024, we paired playing rivals from different Unions as teammates for the first time, and challenged them to work together to complete a series of tasks. Take a look at the videos below to see how they got on!