Halo’s founder and CEO, Paul Hamilton, said: “This is a big moment for us, as Halo will become the Official Enterprise Software partner in a first for world sport, and are looking forward to showcasing our Enterprise Software Management (ESM) platform on an international stage. Halo are proud to support Scottish Sport and look forward to continuing to champion the best technology being implemented in top sports clubs and organisations.”

Scottish Rugby’s Chief Customer Officer, Olaf Gueldner, added: “It is a really positive move for us to be able to add Halo into our partner family. This is a new category for us and this partnership reinforces the attractiveness of our game into many different markets.

“We are delighted to work with such an innovative, successful and values driven business who I know share our passion for the growth of rugby in Scotland.”

The post Scottish Rugby and Halo join forces in new partnership  appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Sione Fukofuka brings a decade of experience across international women’s and men’s teams. This began with a coaching role within the Australian Youth Women’s sevens team, and then the Australian Men’s sevens team in 2019.   

A trained teacher, Fukofuka joined the Wallaroos as assistant coach in 2021 before moving to his most recent role as Head Coach of the US Women’s National team in 2023, which he held through to the culmination of this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.  

Sione will join Scottish Rugby in January, subject to visa, relocating to Scotland to be based in Edinburgh.  

Commenting on his appointment, Sione Fukofuka said: “I am honoured and privileged to have the opportunity to lead the Scotland Women’s programme. Scottish Rugby’s vision and direction for the future of the women’s programme is one that drew me to the role.  

“An aligned domestic pathway and emphasis on the increasing professionalism of the senior programme through the Celtic Challenge and the senior Scotland Women team is exciting.  

“I look forward to connecting with the talented players, quality staff and invested stakeholders across the program to drive a high-performance environment that develops the players to their potential and produces a style of rugby that can be successful.” 

Scottish Rugby Chief Executive, Alex Williamson, said: “I am delighted to welcome Sione to Scottish Rugby at such an exciting time for the development of, not only our national team, but the whole of the girl’s and women’s game in Scotland. Sione brings many years of experience within women’s international rugby and we want to build the strongest possible coaching set up to take us forward at this crucial time.  

“In the months since our Rugby World Cup quarter-final, we have contracted more players than ever before with many of them benefiting from our first ever Central Programme at Oriam. Gemma Fay has taken up her new role as Managing Director of Women’s Rugby and her strategic direction will complement the skills Sione brings. With Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways, Andy Rhys Jones also starting in the new year, we now have a highly talented leadership group for the whole women’s game for the first time 

David Nucifora, Director of Performance, commented: “After a competitive recruitment process, it is great to be able to welcome Sione into our Women’s programme. The experience that he brings from coaching international women’s teams was what we were looking for take our women’s programme forward.  

“In October we announced an increase in contracts and with additional players also joining them in our Central Programme in Oriam, which is fully underway, Sione is joining at a pivotal time. Our national team is in a strong position after the Rugby World Cup and with Sione able to bring in new experience the journey towards Australia 2029 looks exciting.” 

Commenting on the appointment, Managing Director of Women’s Rugby, Gemma Fay, said: “Sione’s appointment is key to the next step in the development of our Scotland Women national team.  

“It is an exciting year with the new global calendar set to begin the next world cup cycle in earnest and give our international players a higher level of consistent opposition throughout the season. 

“Sione’s experience in different women’s high performance environments and coaching knowledge make him a excellent fit for the next chapter of our women’s team and new high performance programme. 

“Our new Women’s High Performance and Pathway Manager, Andy, also starts in January and will be key to ensuring the alignment between the on field aspects and the development of our Pathway.  

They both will be working closely with all players in the programme, as well as our Celtic Challenge teams, Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors and we look forward to working with them as we move into our new Women and Girls Strategy in 2026.” 

The post Scottish Rugby names Sione Fukofuka as Scotland Women Head Coach appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Ross has held senior roles with three different Unions across his career to date, gleaning insight and knowledge from the Athletic Performance strategies of New Zealand, Argentina and the USA.   

Ross worked with the NZRU between 2012-2016, helping to prepare their players for success at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He also worked with their Sevens players in preparation for Commonwealth, Olympic and Sevens World Cup campaigns.  

Speaking of his experiences in New Zealand, Ross said: “I’ve been fortunate to have many varied experiences. New Zealand really gave me a good grounding in what really good looks like. I was fortunate to be there in a time when they had a lot of success, both internationally as well as domestically. 

“The lesson that stuck with me there was always working backwards from the game and keeping rugby at the forefront.” 

Ross was employed by Los Pumas and the UAR in the period up to and including the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019.  

“Argentina was a very different structure to New Zealand. It taught me the importance of connecting with the culture and integrating the culture into everything you do and how important that is. 

“It also taught me a lot about resilience and working in a somewhat under-resourced environment and the power of creativity to get over those barriers,” said Ross. 

Back in his native USA, Ross was Head of Performance for USA Rugby between 2021-2024 and his experiences there underpinned his understanding of the business side of high performance sport.  

“Sport is definitely a business in the USA, for better or for worse. What I learned from working there, both in rugby and out of rugby, is the importance of being very objective about what you do and being very disciplined to KPIs and metrics,” said Ross. 

As a former high performance athlete himself competing on the Sevens World Series for Team USA, Ross’ approach to player development has been framed by his own personal journey, he said: “My experience as a sevens player gives me empathy for the athlete.  That’s always stuck with me and shaped my perspective. Always something at the forefront of putting myself in their shoes. Having a little bit of experience and knowing what that is like is certainly helpful.” 

Rugby is not Ross’ only sporting influence as his career also includes two roles within Major League Baseball firstly with the New York Mets and more recently with the Miami Marlins.  

Ross explains there are correlations between Baseball and Rugby and the gains to be made by Scottish Rugby: “Rugby and baseball would be hard to think of two more disparate sports on the surface. But when you do dive into things, there are certainly lessons I learned in baseball that can be applied to rugby. 

“Baseball is a very quantifiable sport. It’s very metric driven, very data driven. I think there are lessons to be learned from rugby in that sense. Baseball is also great at being very disciplined to a key few meaningful variables and meaningful metrics and being very stubborn to sticking on those,” continued Ross.  

Ross commenced his role with Scottish Rugby in the autumn and has busied himself getting across his large brief and making the connections that will allow him to make a positive impact on Scottish Rugby. 

“I’ve had a chance to get across to most if not all of our different rugby environments. What’s really stood out is the quality of people that we have working here and how much good work is being done,” said Ross. 

“I think the real focus in the short term is building systems and structures and pathways to facilitate that good work that’s being done in isolated pockets in different areas and sharing that amongst our department to spread that IP across the union,” continued Ross. 

Ross has been impressed with how quickly the new Women’s Programme has bedded in at Oriam, saying: “Scottish Rugby is in new ground with the women’s programme and in transition stage and launched the women’s central programme here. Which has been very impressive with how that’s been able to get up and running. 

“My role is interacting with our people on the ground there, helping them, supporting them to set up the right structures in this new system that we’re implementing here (at Oriam). Likewise, how that women’s central programme interacts into our Celtic Challenge teams and setting up the structures to really upgrade the experience in those environments as well,” explains Ross. 

Having gotten his feet under the table over the past couple of months and established the areas where Scottish Rugby can make immediate gains, Ross is keen to pursue some new concepts in how athletic performance support is delivered and measured.    

Ross added: “So there’s two primary areas that I’m really interested in taking us in. One of those is personalised development plans and the other is measuring what matters. 

“Personalised development plans are a way of viewing players in and of themselves as opposed to just being members of the team. Of course, rugby is a team sport, team is at the focus and the teamwork is essential. But there’s also the element of each player has individual needs. And so it’s building plans that while keeping it team focused also attacks the player as an individual and gives them exactly what they need,” explains Ross. 

The other area of focus for Ross is ensuring Scottish Rugby is measuring the athletic performance markers that have the biggest impact on the game. 

Ross continues: “Measuring what matters within rugby is being very disciplined to the key variables that we can objectively show are going to impact performance on the field, which is ultimately what matters. 

“So as it relates to rugby, understanding what the key variables are on the field and the key outcomes that affect winning, working backwards from those, using different techniques and different technologies to be able to quantify those in a reliable way, and then being disciplined to working towards those as our outcome.” 

The post Meet Alex Ross: Scottish Rugby Head of Athletic Performance & Sports Science appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Professor Crerar’s tenure as Chair of the Custodian Scottish Rugby Union Board has been extended through to October 2028, having been due to expire in October 2025.

He is joined in continuing in post on the SRU Board by fellow Custodian Directors David Grevemberg and Cheryl Black whose terms extend for up to three years through to 2028, with their current tenures having been due to expire in December 2025.

To build on the improved financial stability reported in the 2024/25 Annual Report and provide consistency of strategic guidance and support to the executive team, Scottish Rugby Limited Chair John McGuigan will also serve a second term.

His extension to May 2029 was proposed by the SRL’s Nomination Committee and unanimously agreed by the SRL Board and then approved by the SRU Board, under Scottish Rugby’s governance arrangements.

To provide further continuity three of SRL’s Independent Non-Executive Directors have also agreed to continue in post for three more years. Alex Whelan and Mike Soutar extend to June 2029 and Ruth Davidson to July 2029.

As well as building on the work done returning the organisation to a financially sustainable position, these steps ensure there is clarity on board leadership and roles during the recruitment of a new Independent Non-Executive Director position for the vacancy created by Stephen White, who stepped down from the SRL Board in the summer after relocating to Australia for a new career opportunity.

Scottish Rugby Union Chair, Professor Lorne Crerar, said: “It is an immense privilege to serve as Chair of SRU and I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to continue for a second term in the role. Since the new governance arrangements took effect in November 2022, much progress has been made and the key task going forward will be to ensure the continued momentum of positive outcomes for the whole of Scottish Rugby and its stakeholders.

I was also very pleased that both Cheryl and David have also agreed to further serve, as they have been very important contributors to the efforts of SRU.

“The SRU Board was also pleased to approve the recommendation of its operating company, Scottish Rugby Limited, to the appointment for a further term of its Chair, John McGuigan.

John’s leadership has been instrumental in driving significant progress since his appointment and we were very pleased John has agreed to continue, which will ensure consistency and continued momentum towards a bright future for Scottish Rugby.”

Scottish Rugby Limited Chair, John McGuigan, said: “I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to continue my work as Chair of Scottish Rugby Ltd. Whilst progress has been made over the last three years there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure we are recognised by our peers as a leading Union in the global game.

“I’m privileged to lead a passionate and very capable team of non-executives and have the opportunity to work with our CEO Alex Williamson and his team. The SRL board are also committed to working closely with the Custodian Board. I’m pleased Lorne has agreed to extend his term as Chair, as it’s critical we have continuity in the governance of Scottish Rugby as we face into the challenges that lie ahead.”

The meeting of member clubs heard from both Chairs and then, in turn: Scottish Rugby President, Keith Wallace; Chief Executive Alex Williamson; Chief Financial Officer, David White; and Vice-President (and Chair of the Club Rugby Board) Hazel Swankie.

The AGM was delivered in hybrid fashion, with 40 clubs represented in attendance and the remainder, 100, joining online. The necessary quorum was met as one third of eligible voters were represented.

To that end, there was a 99% approval vote to ratify the 2024/25 Financial Statement.

The evening’s second vote centred around two Custodian Directors to be appointed to the SRU Board, with Maxine Manditsch and Alison Milne seeking re-appointments after being ratified at the 2023 AGM and Blair Stewart and Darren Crowther the other nominees.

The two positions for 2025 onwards were to be focussed on Financial, and Strategic/Welfare, with the respective votes cast in two lots, per position.

For the Custodian Director – Financial, Blair Stewart was successful with 66.6% of the vote, while for the Custodian Director – Strategic/Welfare, Alison Milne continues in post securing 63.3% of the vote. Both will now serve on the SRU Custodian Board for a two-year term.

The post Scottish Rugby AGM: Leadership terms extended for Board Chairs appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

It means for the first time, fans can travel to the Tournament in Australia as part of Scottish Rugby with a great range of ticket-inclusive travel experiences.

The 2027 Tournament will mark the 11^th anniversary of Rugby World Cup and anticipation is already rising among fans after Scotland took New Zealand all the way to the wire on Saturday.

Scottish Rugby Travel will be launching ticket-inclusive packages for the knockout stages in early 2026 for fans keen to secure incredible rugby experiences, special events and the chance to discover the beauty of Australia.

Scottish Rugby’s Chief Commercial Officer, Olaf Gueldner, said: “It is fantastic news that Scottish Rugby Travel will be able to give our fans incredible experiences at Australia 2027.

“We want to give as many fans as possible the chance to be part of the Tournament. We have such passionate home support, and it would be incredible to bring the noise and excitement to the Rugby World Cup in Australia.”

Packages will range from quarter-final to Final options with every detail taken care of, all the way through to weekend breaks, which are perfect for fans with family and friends already in Australia.

Further packages for the pool stages and the whole Tournament will follow later in 2026 but fans can sign up now for early access.

Scottish Rugby Travel’s range of packages and exclusive special events will give fans the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and tastes of Australian culture.

The post World Rugby Experiences Appoints Scottish Rugby Travel as an Official Travel Agent for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, Australia™ appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

He joined Scotland U20 as an assistant coach in 2022 and in the summer of this year, was forwards coach of the Scotland men’s national team on the Skyscanner Pacific Tour.

Pringle will also continue in his role as a coach with Edinburgh Rugby’s Academy.

Two new assistant coaches also come into the U20 set-up, with Greig Laidlaw and Sean Kennedy joining the group.

Laidlaw, who holds the male record for the most Scotland appearances as captain and is second in the all-time points chart, was recently head coach at Urayasu-D Rock in Japan, where he finished his playing career. He joins on a consultancy basis for the 2026 Under-20 Six Nations.

Kennedy, who represented Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby at scrum-half, has been working with Stirling County as their defence coach and is currently the coach of the National Talent Pathway 1 and 2 programmes for Edinburgh.

Pringle replaces Kenny Murray, who will begin a new role at Scottish Rugby as National Talent Pathway (NTP) Lead. Murray will manage Scottish Rugby’s new NTP programme, designed to invest more resource in the best young players in Scotland, and lead on all men’s national age grade teams.

Fergus Pringle, Scotland U20 head coach, said: “There’s a lot of promising young talent coming through in Scotland right now and I’m really excited to take on the role as head coach and lead the team going forward.

“The U20s is a very important programme for Scottish Rugby and will be influential in the development of our best young players. By playing in the U20 internationals, they get to benchmark themselves against the best players from other countries around the world which will push and challenge them.

“The group coming through have a good attitude and work ethic that will really drive standards in the environment going forward.

“Having Greig and Sean as part of the coaching group is brilliant. Both have had great careers and will be an inspiration to our players.

“Greig was an iconic Scotland captain and is an instantly recognisable figure that our players will be able to glean a lot of insight from.

“We have our first training camp at the end of the year and that will help us in preparation for the Six Nations at the start of 2026.”

Al Kellock, Head of Performance Pathways said: “As part of the continued development and implementation of our new performance pathway structures, Fergus Pringle will lead our Scotland U20 national team.

“I’ve known Fergus for many years and have seen first-hand the high standards and excellence he drives within any programme he works in. I’m very excited to see how much he will grasp this opportunity to lead the programme.

“He has a great knowledge of our young players and his new role will align with his position within Edinburgh Rugby’s Academy where he works day to day with some of the best young prospects in Scottish Rugby.

“Fergus will work well with Kenny Murray, who has taken on a new position of National Talent Pathway Lead (NTP) heading up all stages of the NTP, using his knowledge of the game in Scotland to drive the development of our young players.

“Fergus’s coaching staff is further strengthened by Greig Laidlaw and Sean Kennedy. They have great recent coaching experience and our players will greatly benefit from their insight as they look ahead to a big season for the U20s.

“Both are outstanding individuals and are at different stages of their career. Sean is greatly aligned to our programme already with his current role, working within the National Talent Pathway.

“Greig was recently a head coach in Japan and the experience he’ll bring within Fergus’s team will be invaluable. We are delighted to bring someone of his status into our pathway to nurture the next generation of players.”

The post Pringle appointed Scotland U20 head coach appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Headlines

• Scottish Rugby sees a year-on-year improvement of £7.6m in line with expectations, recording post tax loss of £3.7m
• Ticketing, Broadcast, Professional Rugby and Commercial Income all contribute to £5.5m rise in revenue to £79.4m
• Cash position at June 2025 increased by £11.4m to £28.2m (June 2024: £16.8m)
• Capital investment of £1.4m targeted on revenue generating projects at Scottish Gas Murrayfield
• Increased investment to domestic, club and school rugby of £9.4m, a rise of £0.4m on 2023/4

Click here to read the Annual Report

Increased revenue alongside the benefits of a series of profit improvement measures delivered over the last two financial years reduced the loss after tax to £3.7m, a year-on-year improvement of £7.6m on the previous financial period (13 months to June 2024: £11.3m), and in line with the original target laid out at the AGM last year.

The focus on costs remains ongoing and will support a further reduced loss in financial year 2025/26. Reaching a breakeven position in the 2026/27 financial year remains a key objective.

Revenue hit record levels of £79.4m, a rise of £5.5m on the previous reporting period. A rise in ticketing income of £11.7m year on year and £2.6m increase in broadcast revenue was partially offset by a reduction in grant income in comparison to 2023/24, reflecting World Rugby funding payments for Rugby World Cup 2023 (played in Autumn 2023) not repeating in 2024/25.

Support for the grass roots game in Scotland remains a key focus of our activities and support to clubs, schools and domestic rugby amounted to £9.4m in the year (FY2023/24: £9.1m).

This represents an increase in spend of 4% year on year, noting that the financial period 2023/24 was 13 months (as a result of the change of accounting period). On a like-for-like basis, the FY2024/25 spend represents an increase of 13%. This support is provided in a number of key areas, notably:

• Domestic Rugby £4.4m (2024: £4.1m): Activities in this area are delivered by the Rugby Development team within Scottish Rugby, supporting community rugby across the country in numerous ways including programme design and delivery and event resource that support clubs, schools and communities with competitions, coach education, match officials’ fees and regional programmes.

• Club and School Support Funds £5.1m (2024: £5.0m): Direct investment to clubs and schools to support their individual needs. Funding during the period supported initiatives including the Club Sustainability Fund, Development Officers investment and Growth & Participation activities.

Our commitment to the development of rugby in Scotland is also reflected in the rising commitment to women’s rugby of £3.9m during financial year 2024/25, covering the costs of our professional players, coaches and support staff alongside operational spend across the pathway programmes and Celtic Challenge. We expect this investment to increase during financial year 2025/26 as we establish a full-time high-performance environment in Edinburgh.

Cash of £28.2m at June 2025 is an increase of £11.4m on the prior year. The year-on-year improvement was in part a result of £7.4m received as planned from CVC, as well as net cash generated from operating activities of £5.7m. Capital expenditure of £1.4m was invested at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, including the refurbishment of our hospitality boxes, as we look to continue our revenue growth, reducing our free cash accordingly. We anticipate this investment continuing in 2025/26.

The exceptional items reported for 2024/25 include restructuring and redundancy costs of £0.4m, predominantly related to the restructuring of the High-Performance department.

In addition, there is a non-cash impairment cost of £0.5m related to the Murrayfield stadium pitch which reached the end of its useful life after a decade and has been replaced by a new playing surface.

Scottish Rugby also disposed of its interest in ‘Old Glory’ (Washington DC professional team) in the year for £0.5m recognised in the accounts as profit with the cost of the investment having been written off previously.

Scottish Rugby Union Chair, Professor Lorne Crerar, said: “Last year’s report acknowledged the financial challenges of 2022/23 and referred to the independent review that followed. Guided by the outcomes of that process, a new budgeting and planning framework was established for 2023/24 and thereafter. I am pleased to confirm that progress in 2024/25 has been in line with expectations, and that our financial turnaround is firmly underway.

“The Chair of the Board of SRL, together with his non-executive and executive colleagues, are to be congratulated for all their efforts and consequent progress. These efforts have rebuilt confidence and provided a solid platform for growth. With SRU’s formal approval of the 2025/26 budget in June, and steady progress already being made against it, our financial horizons are now far more positive. We move forward with renewed ambition — supported by a sound strategy and a stable financial base.”

Chair of Scottish Rugby Limited, John McGuigan, said: “As we entered the 24/25 financial year the agenda for the business was still dominated by moving us further away from the financial difficulties of recent years. We promised, as we did in 2023/24, to reduce the gap between cost and revenue, moving us very close to financial balance by the end of 25/26.

“We are not yet at the point to say the financial challenges are over whilst reporting a loss for 24/25, but it does give me comfort that we are now on a clear glide path to financial balance.

“We have had to make some very tough decisions including redundancies which have impacted loyal colleagues and their families. In combination with other cost reduction measures we have significantly reduced the overspend whilst making investments in key areas of the business including the pathways framework for both the men’s and women’s game. We have also made a number of key appointments in the high-performance area and maintained our commitment to contribute 15%of our income to support the Club game.”

Scottish Rugby CEO, Alex Williamson, said: “Our mission is to become the leading union in world rugby and, thanks to the efforts of both the SRL and SRU Boards and to a number of my executive team, the financial resilience needed to support our change agenda is growing and this has allowed us to make initial strides forward in many areas.

“We still have work to do to ensure we meet our financial targets and our future financial improvement will be energised through careful but ambitious investment. This year we have invested in both our High-Performance programme, to ensure we move forward competitively, and at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, investments which are the start of a wider reimagining of our campus.

“I’d like to acknowledge all our people for their professionalism and resolve over this last year. I’m encouraged by the passion and focus across the organisation to improve and go after opportunities to move Scottish Rugby forward, on and off the pitch. Success is not just about winning, it is about leading the way, and we have every intention of doing that.”

The post Annual Report 2024/25: Scottish Rugby on track to meet financial targets appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

The collaboration was officially announced this week at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, where a specially-wrapped Citylink coach was welcomed to the stadium by Scotland internationalists Pierre Schoeman and Grant Gilchrist.

Grant Gilchrist added: “I’m really looking forward to the matches this Autumn. There’s always a special atmosphere in the city ahead of these games”

He added: “The backing we receive on a matchday from our fans is incredible and we’re grateful for the support of Citylink who will be helping fans get to Murrayfield to cheer us on. We have four big games on the horizon and we’re looking forward to the challenges that await.”

It’s hoped that the travel deal will make it easier and more attractive for spectators to travel by public transport on match days, ensuring that those residing outside of Edinburgh have the opportunity to travel to Scottish Gas Murrayfield to see the games live.

Scottish Rugby will provide the discount code to match day ticket holders as part of the distribution of matchday information.

To find out more about Scotland’s upcoming fixtures visit https://scottishrugby.org/tickets-and-events/2025-quilter-nations-series/

More information about Scottish Citylink services can be found at https://www.citylink.co.uk/

The post Fare play to fans ahead of Quilter Nations Series appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

She will work closely with Performance Director David Nucifora, newly appointed Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways Andy Rhys Jones, and Chief Customer Officer Olaf Gueldner. Fay will also join the Scottish Rugby Senior Leadership Team, the first time the women’s game is represented as its own business area at that level, reflecting its position as a central pillar of Scottish Rugby’s long-term strategy.

As Managing Director, Fay will continue to represent Scotland’s interests at the highest level of the women’s global game.  In her role as a World Rugby Council Member, she played a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of women’s rugby worldwide, most notably contributing to the establishment and evolution of the WXV global competition structure. She also serves as Chair of the Women’s Committee at Rugby Europe, further extending Scottish Rugby’s influence in advancing the women’s game internationally.

A former Scotland international footballer and record appearance holder with 203 caps, Fay brings a wealth of experience in elite sport and leadership to the role. Since joining Scottish Rugby in 2018, she has been instrumental in transforming the landscape for women and girls across both the community game, into high-performance rugby while also driving strategic change at a global level.

Fay first joined Scottish Rugby as Head of Women & Girls’ Rugby, before being appointed Head of Women’s Performance, where she successfully oversaw Scotland’s qualification for the country’s first-ever Commonwealth Games appearance in 2022 and its first Rugby World Cup in 12 years.

In her subsequent role as Head of Women & Girls’ Strategy, Fay has been at the forefront of delivering one of the most significant periods of growth in the history of the women’s game in Scotland. Since the establishment of the Women’s and Girls’ Strategy, registered female player numbers have risen from 6,173 to over 9,800, surpassing Scottish Rugby’s original 2026 target two years ahead of schedule and 73 clubs now field women’s teams across the country, reflecting unprecedented participation growth.

In addition to this, the Celtic Challenge competition was established, creating a vital performance bridge between domestic rugby and the international stage. This has since led to the creation of Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors women’s teams marked a major milestone in the evolution of the women’s high-performance pathway.

The strategy also delivered the first full-time professional contracts to 28 players back in 2022, and seen record-attendances at Scotland Women’s matches, selling-out Hive Stadium for the first time in the 2024 Six Nations.

Gemma Fay, said: “I feel incredibly proud to have spent the past seven years working with such a passionate and dedicated community, both within Scottish Rugby and across the wider game. The progress we’ve made collectively has been wonderful – but I truly believe that there is so much more potential still to unlock.  Throughout the recruitment process it was clear that mine and Scottish Rugby’s ambition for the women’s game in Scotland were aligned.

“This role represents an exciting opportunity to build on the strong foundations we’ve established, to continue driving performance, participation and commercial investment in the game to ensure women’s rugby in Scotland is recognised as a world-class model of growth, sustainability, and success.”

Scottish Rugby Chief Executive, Alex Williamson, said: “Our commitment to the success of the women and girls’ game remains undiminished and Gemma’s appointment is itself an important landmark as our first Managing Director of the women’s game.

“The speed of growth locally, and internationally, has required us to put a robust infrastructure in place to ensure the female game can continue to grow both through increased participation and high performance success and as a business in its own right that can attract investment, contribute to our strategy and ensure Scotland plays a central role in shaping the future direction of the game.

“I’m looking forward to Gemma joining the senior leadership team and building on her impressive work in this area.”

Hear from Gemma Fay

The post Scottish Rugby appoints Gemma Fay as first Managing Director of Women’s Rugby appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Andy joins Scottish Rugby from Harlequins, where he is currently their Head of Women’s Rugby. During his four and a half years with the club, Andy has overseen the operational and performance frameworks that supported the club’s women’s squad to excel both on and off the pitch. Prior to this role he served as Head of Rugby Operations (Women’s Programme).

Before joining Harlequins, Andy worked across performance rugby in leadership and analysis roles at Loughborough University and Leicester Tigers.

Harlequins are set to play against Saracens next weekend in the PWR Cup Final, having secured their Semi-Final win over Bristol Bears last Sunday. In last year’s regular season of the PWR the London side made it to the Semi-Finals.

Speaking about his appointment, Andy said: “It’s a huge honour to join Scottish Rugby at such an exciting time for the women’s game. The potential here is vast, and I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with players, coaches, and stakeholders across the pathway to build a system that consistently supports the development of world-class athletes and enables Scotland to thrive on the international stage.”

Scottish Rugby’s Performance Director, David Nucifora, added: “We are determined to produce the best young players with a pathway that is sustainable and fit for purpose. This new role is a critical step for Scottish Rugby to be able to do that. Andy’s expertise in high-performance sport, particularly in the women’s game, combined with a proven ability to align operations with player development, makes him exceptionally well-placed to drive forward our ambitions.”

Andy will officially take up his role in January 2026 and will be based at Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre, at Heriot Watt University.

The post Scottish Rugby appoints Andy Rhys Jones as Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways appeared first on Scottish Rugby.