The first-ever female Lions touring party is gearing up for an exciting three-Test series in New Zealand come September 2027. This groundbreaking move follows a successful feasibility study exploring the potential for a women's tour.
England, having secured five consecutive Women’s Six Nations Championships, is anticipated to dominate the squad, assuming their winning streak continues. Lions CEO Ben Calveley has made it clear that selection will be merit-based, ruling out any quota system.
Despite this, former Scotland international Gaffney, who retired from international rugby in February 2023 after earning 45 caps, expresses hope for a different landscape when the squad is eventually chosen.
“We [Scotland] have got such a great group of players coming through,” she notes optimistically. “Three-and-a-half years is a long time away, and they have that time to push and get into the team."
Gaffney, having represented Great Britain in rugby sevens, is encouraging the emerging generation to seize the opportunity to play for the Lions. She believes that any chance to represent your nation is thrilling, and being considered among the best in Britain and Ireland is a genuine honor.
“When I first started playing, this [a Lions women’s team] probably didn’t even enter my mind, so this is outstanding,” she adds.
Gaffney herself tasted the experience of representing multiple home nations through her time with the Great Britain rugby sevens setup. Having been part of training squads leading up to the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, she believes that uniting forces under a Lions umbrella will only strengthen Scotland’s international side when players resume more regular international duty.
“Playing GB sevens gave me some of my best rugby experiences,” she reflects. “The first time I was involved, I was 22, I didn’t really know what was what, and you had the likes of Emily Scarratt, Nollie [Danielle Waterman], Claire Allan, Alice Richardson.”
As the rugby world looks ahead to this historic women's Lions tour, Gaffney's optimism and encouragement for the young Scottish talents suggest a promising future for the sport.