Women’s British and Irish Lions to play first match in Cardiff

The first ever women’s British and Irish Lions team will look to sell out the 74,000-capacity Principality Stadium before an inaugural tour to New Zealand. The touring team made up of players from the Home Nations and the Republic of Ireland will play France in a send-off match sponsored by insurance giant Howden next August before they head down to take on the Black Ferns in a three-Test tour. Playing a home fixture before a Lions Tour has become a tradition within the men’s game, with the most recent edition seeing Argentina beat the touring outfit in Dublin. London’s Allianz Stadium in Twickenham is yet to stage a so-called “send-off” fixture. Choosing Cardiff over London will raise eyebrows, however, given England Rugby’s ability to draw in crowds of over 60,000 in each of the last three years, including over 80,000 for the Women’s Rugby World Cup final in 2025. British and Irish Lions heading west Lions chief Ben Calveley said that “the Principality Stadium is a