British and Irish Lions moments that live in history and memories forever will soon involve women says former Red Roses great Danielle ‘Nolli’ Waterman, looking towards a historic first Women’s Lions tour in 2027.
Andy Farrell’s charges have secured the 2025 Test series against Australia ahead of Saturday’s final Test, but once this tour is finished, the Lions baton – for the first time in history – will be passed on to a women’s squad to tour New Zealand in two years’ time.
“It’s massive that young girls and current players can genuinely believe and know a special number of people will now be able to wear the red shirt,” Waterman tells Sky Sports at her Sydney hotel, a stone’s throw from the city’s stunning Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
“This opens up an opportunity for so many people to be part of something special.
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Highlights of a classic second Test between Australia and the British and Irish Lions in Melbourne
“I also am really excited for the women’s game to write their own history and to create their own legacy. To build something that in 20, 50, 100 years’ time, we’re looking back to say: ‘Remember on that first tour in 2027, that try was scored by this player’.
“Moments that live in history will now have women.
“And it doesn’t need to be compared to the history of the men’s Lions, only in that it’s something so special. It’s meeting the sea of red. It’s bucket list stuff for people to come on a Lions tour. It’s mega.”
Waterman, who retired from rugby in 2019, may have become a Rugby World Cup champion in her playing days, but can’t deny she is filled with envy ahead of a first Women’s Lions tour.
“One of the things people ask me is am I gutted I won’t be able to play for the Lions? Of course I am. The honour of being selected into that best XV in Britain and Ireland is so special.
“It’s something I’d be really envious of, not being able to taste that.
“It’s one of those things that when I look back at my career they’re the moments that really make rugby special.
“Those off-field moments where you get to meet the person and not just the player you go head to head with, because everybody’s so different on the field to who they are as a person.
A first women’s British and Irish Lions tour will see them face New Zealand’s Black Ferns in a three-Test series in 2027
“I think we probably take for granted when you play for England, you’re running out with some of the best players that have ever played women’s rugby.
“For Welsh, Scottish and Irish players to have that opportunity, to only have to focus on their job in their position while having people put them into space with world-class kicking or a pack that just marches forward, you get to then see the real, true quality of somebody, because they’re not fighting for their whole team.
“That’s when it becomes really magical, because you get those Barbarians moments where the ball is moved.”
Waterman talked how special the fact young girls will see women becoming British and Irish Lions is
‘Women’s Lions playing programme and crowd sizes main challenges’
In terms of the main aims, targets and challenges the Lions face with regards to their women’s tour to New Zealand, Waterman points to scheduling and crowd sizing.
“The main one will be creating a playing programme and schedule the girls can perform in, that can really celebrate rugby and the New Zealand public can get excited about.
“It would be fantastic to see people touring, getting as many fans over, but it is an expensive trip. I don’t think we will see the numbers anywhere close to the men’s.
“But I also don’t see that as an issue because I feel like the Rugby World Cup in 2021-22 seemed to really galvanise New Zealand, and when the Lions are in town, it’s special for any nation.
“The legacy they’ll be able to create around the game in general will be brilliant and they just need to build that wave of anticipation up to a Test series which is really special.
Waterman is an ambassador of Howden, the current Lions front-of-shirt sponsor, and title sponsor for the 2027 Women’s tour
“Playing in the right stadiums is also really important. Eden Park is amazing but it’s a huge stadium you don’t want to see half empty.
“The Lions is about the sea of red, huge numbers of fans travelling across the water, wherever that might be. Fill up the stadiums and really inspire the local communities to be wonderful hosts. I have no doubt they will do that.
“Full stadiums is what we’re becoming used to seeing. We see it now regularly in women’s football.
“It looks much better on TV, it’s a much better atmosphere, it’s how we all like to consume sport. All of that energy from the crowd comes through, whether we’re sat at home in our armchair or in the stadiums.
“That’s the big thing, making sure the fan base is really inspired whatever colour jersey they’re wearing, to really get behind all of the games, all the way through.
“That’s where you can really build momentum, build excitement for the players to experience that intensity and noise on the field.
England’s Shaunagh Brown, Scotland’s Megan Gaffney, Wales’ Elinor Snowsill and Niamh Briggs of Ireland helped launch the Lions’ women’s team
“I was asked to name a Lions team and I said instantly I only want to do it if I can really do it properly in terms of who I genuinely believe could put their hand up in two years’ time.
“Someone like Ireland No 8 Aoife Wafer, who I think is amazing, she has a timer on her phone counting down to the Lions. How good is that?
“She was Player of the Year for the Six Nations, deservedly so. I absolutely believe she would make that starting squad.
“Emma Orr, Scotland’s young outside-centre, to see someone with her talent in the PWR in England, this Lions opportunity will be brilliant.”
‘We need to judge women’s players more harshly’
Interestingly, Waterman says she actually wants to see the women’s game at the highest level critiqued more harshly and closely.
In her opinion the game would only benefit and grow from it.
“I want the media world to write about the rugby on the field as much as the stories behind the players. We need to have both as well, that’s a real passion point for me.
“We need to make sure these women, some have only ever been professional rugby players and it’s their job, are really critiqued.
“Get stuck into players technically and tactically. I remember as a player when the media started to put scores against us in terms of performance, some of the girls were really offended. I thought it was amazing.
Waterman says she would like to see more critiquing and analysis of the women’s game
“That’s what you want. You want this purist side of sport being covered, analysing the rugby.
“Those really lovely pieces about the players and the people behind them, when they started playing the game, some balancing two jobs, let’s not just focus on that solely because for professional people it’s their job to perform.
“If we’re constantly saying the women’s game is great, it gives a disservice to the players, because it says this is the level we’re at. When actually, I’ve sat in many team meetings where we’ve come away with a big score and the media has gone wild and said: ‘Isn’t it great England have done this? Brilliant rugby,’ and we’ve sat and torn apart 80 minutes of our performance.
“That bar we set ourselves is now making sure those narratives are being put out there, because that shows the game can be better as well.”
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