Our rugby partnership

[Caption] Growing the women’s game

An exciting new partnership

Royal London: Principal Partner of the Women’s Lions Programme

Funding a study to examine whether a Lions women’s team can be formed

[Jason Leonard] Not only will the partnership benefit from the expertise of both organisations, but also their financial commitment will accelerate our work by helping fund further research and analysis, moving forward.

[Maggie Alphonsi] It's very important to have investment from the likes of Royal London in the women's game because it ensures that we have the game growing. I think the biggest challenges for the women's game is the fact that we've not always had the sponsors to allow there to be a level playing field but to have the investment from Royal London will ensure that the women's game can continue to grow.

[Jason] The Lions brand is possibly one of the biggest brands that's out there and to work alongside someone like Royal London is fantastic for both us and Royal London really.

So it's fantastic to have Royal London on board.

[Maggie] I remember growing up and thinking one day I could play for England and that's really special, but now that the girls may have this chance, to say "I can potentially wear that red jersey, I can be a Lion and I can hopefully have that history."

So it's important to make sure that young girls have something to aspire to and I think this potential opportunity is going to be really big for the women's game.

[Jason] With more direction and more input and more people that can help the game grow, it can only get better and that's why the link with Royal London is such a fantastic thing to have, because looking forward we want to make sure that there's opportunity for everyone, at some point to say, "that's what I want to do." Inspire people and young girls to play the game and actually want to play for their country, want to be a Lion.

[Maggie] Having female athletes wear that red jersey, you know, be a Lion, it will definitely inspire the next generation because they can see it on TV and go "I can be like her, because I know it's happening." And just for the women's game to be the norm, almost not to question it and it to be on TV and for sponsors to want to back it and I think this is definitely a step in the right direction.

It's great that Royal London and Lions are combining their power to explore the possibility of a Lions women's team for the creation of The Women's Lions Working Group.

[Caption] Royal London

It’s everyone’s business.

[Caption] Levelling the playing field

An exciting new partnership

Royal London: Principal Partner of the Women's Lions Programme

Funding a study to examine whether a Lions women's team can be formed

[Maggie Alphonsi MBE] It's great that Royal London and Lions are combining their power to explore the possibility of a Lions women's team for the creation of The Women's Lions Working Group.

So a level playing field for women's rugby I think looks like, more women being paid to play and being able to be the best athlete they can be by having the strength and conditioning support, medical support, nutritional support.

I think it also reflects on the broadcasting as well. So coverage across our papers, TV, radio, to be almost equal and I also say, a level playing field will be having more sponsors, invest in the game, those would be the key bits for me, to ensure that our women's game continues to grow and reaches the heights and the level to which the men's game has gone.

We are definitely doing our utmost best to ensure that we've got more clubs that have women and girls’ sections. I think that's really important.

You know the more clubs we have that have women and girls sections the more opportunities there are for girls and women to get to those clubs instead of having to travel far.

So there are many barriers that we're starting to break down, but we've still got to keep working hard to keep pushing it forward, but it's just great to think how far the game has come over the last few years.

I just think it's just quite exciting to think there's so many players that you could call upon across all nations at the moment who would really thrive on this Lions opportunity and could go out and really compete against any team that this Lions women's team played against.

[Caption] Royal London

It’s everyone’s business.

[Caption] Paving the way for a successful tour

An exciting new partnership

Royal London: Principal Partner of the Women’s Lions programme

Global partner to the Castle Lager Lions Series 2021

Funding a study to examine whether a Lions women’s team can be formed.

[Jason Leonard OBE] It's very important for the Lions regarding this partnership with Royal London to work together to deliver what will be a successful Lions Series.

It can only be good news for the Lions and the Lions' future really. So, very excited about the possibility of working together and beyond the Lions Tour, with Royal London.

A Lions Tour is unique in the sense of, it's not about individuals, it's about the team. It's about the whole squad. It's not about just the guys who get all the glory. It's about everybody. They're all in it together.

My very first Tour to New Zealand was in 1993. And the first ever day we got together as a squad, we got summoned to a team meeting and Sir Ian McGeechan was our coach. And we all filed in, literally as a group of Englishman and a group of Welshman, a group of Scotsman, a group of Irishmen in that aspect.

Sir Ian McGeechan quickly looked at us and just said, "Look, guys, you don't get this. You're not an Englishman here, you're not an Irishman, you're not a Welshman, you're not a Scotsman. You're a British & Irish Lion. That's who you represent." He said, "So go back outside and come back in, but leave your nationalities at the door".

And we all worked it out when we walked outside and came back in. So we walked in as in, an Englishman, an Irishman, a Welshman, a Scotsman, and such like. But that's one of the secrets to a Lions Tour, it's breaking down barriers, it's uniting people, it's inspiring people. Bringing people together, inclusion not exclusion in that aspect. You're still part of a team, you still want to be beside your friends, your teammate, your best mate it could be. And you don't want to let them down and they don't want to let you down. That's why the Lions is such a great brand worldwide. And we're lucky to work with great brands like Royal London in that aspect as well, because we will learn off of each other moving forward over this period of time regarding the women's feasibility study there, and beyond that as well. So, it's an absolutely great place to be at this moment in time, I'm very excited and really looking forward to the future.

[Caption] Royal London

It’s everyone’s business.

[Caption] Jason Leonard and Maggie Alphonsi

Building the Ultimate Lion

Tackling

[Jason Leonard] I would actually say Sam Warburton actually because not only what he can do in the tackle but now the game has changed in how you tackle and you're still involved within the tackle itself.

[Maggie Alphonsi] A lady called Heather Fisher, plays for England. She is someone I used to compete against many times and I used to hate playing against her because she can make some seriously big tackles.

[Caption] Speed

[Maggie] It's gotta be Jason Robinson. The one and only, twinkle toes. His ability to get around people in a very narrow space was amazing.

[Jason] JJ Williams, who sadly has just passed away but was one of the fastest players on a rugby field.

[Caption] Strength

[Jason] One would be Fran Cotton and the other one would be Graham Price. Two of the best props ever that have pulled on a Lion's shirt, but immensely strong.

[Maggie] Jade Konkel from Scotland, a strong player who can play eight or as a prop, can make big tackles, but can defensively also drive people back.

[Caption] Rugby brain

[Maggie] I'm just going to go with Jonny Wilkinson, knows how to control the game, knows how to manipulate what's in front of him. You know I used to watch The Lions and always see him as being someone who just knows how to run a game in a way that he can close it off and get that win.

[Jason] It would actually be Martin Johnson. Martin Johnson is a big hulking brute of a man as a second row, but he was very much a thinking second rower. He knew how to play the game. He was very astute and when the backs would do something, Johnno was the sort of guy that could actually question them and more often than not, he was right.

[Caption] Vision

[Jason] It would mostly be Jerry Guscott, could see a game and map out a game and you watch when he just glided through space when you just knew, give him the ball and he knew where to attack.

[Maggie] Brian O'Driscoll, the ultimate centre I'd say. He could find the gaps, he could take those spaces and always gain ground and he was hard to stop as well.

[Caption] Kicking

[Maggie] The one and only Jerry Guscott, we know what he's capable of doing, we remember him back in 1997, what he did. I'd put him as my player to step up to the mark.

[Jason] Leigh Halfpenny. With the success he's had over recent tours, he doesn't miss much.

[Caption] Royal London
It’s everyone’s business.