Lions 2027 - Women's Tour

The tour will be held in September and include three Test matches against the six-time world champion Black Ferns.

It will also include further, pre-Test fixtures although the full schedule is yet to be finalised.

Lions chair and former Wales winger Ieuan Evans said the move is a "key development for women's rugby and women's sport in general".

Ben Calveley, chief executive officer of the Lions, said: "Supporting the growth of the women's game is a key strategic priority for The British & Irish Lions as it is for each of our Unions.

"Significant effort has gone into exploring the concept of a Lions Women's Tour and great credit needs to go to the members of our steering committee, our board, and our staff.

"In particular, I want to recognise the collaboration of our four Unions and thank them for their continued support and the level of commitment they have shown throughout this journey."

The Lions will go on a historic first tour, to New Zealand, in 2027.

But there are concerns over the potential balance of the squad, with England having won 17 of the last 25 Five or Six Nations titles.

As a result, Lions sponsors are to provide funding to try to develop players and coaches in all the home nations.

Funding will be given to Wales, Scotland and Ireland, as well as England, to try to "level the playing field".

Former England flanker Maggie Alphonsi said action was needed to make the Six Nations more competitive, with the Red Roses on course for a sixth successive title after they beat Scotland 46-0 in Edinburgh on Saturday.

The Welsh Rugby Union said the new funding from Royal London will pay for five new staff members to bolster its women's pathway coaching, including a performance coach, set-piece and skills coaches, and a head of physical development.

It will also invest in programmes aimed at identifying talent across Wales as well as players outside the country who qualify to represent Wales.

Scotland last won the Home Nations Championship - played between the four unions - in 1998.

The Scottish Rugby Union will recruit two coaches and aim to deliver additional camps and training matches for their women's under-18s and under-20s teams, as well as the national academy.

Ireland are the only team other than England or France to win the Six Nations title - in 2013 and 2015 - though they finished bottom last year.

The Irish Rugby Football Union will also host additional age-grade camps and work with universities to identify playing talent and developing a coaching scholarship programme.

The Rugby Football Union will use its share of the grant to further develop its current programmes, including skill work.