Joanne Yapp

Joanne Yapp (born 6 September 1979, in Shrewsbury) is an English rugby union coach and former player who grew up in the village of Clee Hill in Shropshire. She represented at the 1998 and 2002 Rugby World Cups, and captained the side at the 2006 World Cup. She was appointed as the British & Irish Lions Women first Head Coach in May 2026.

Rugby career Yapp competed at the 1998 and 2002 Rugby World Cups. She captained the side to the 2006 World Cup final in Canada. She played her last test in 2009.

Coaching Yapp transitioned into coaching after joining England Women's U20s program as head coach for five years. In 2011 she was appointed as an athlete mentor for Sky Sports Living for Sport.

Yapp was the head coach of Exeter University for eight years and led them to BUCS gold in 2013 at Twickenham and BUCS gold in sevens in 2014. She was England women's backs coach in the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship. In May 2026 announced that her first game will take place on 4 September against Black Ferns XV in Whangarei.