The story began in 1962 with the formation of the Edinburgh Amazons, a university team that planted the seeds for women’s rugby in Scotland. By 1987, the competitive spirit had spread across the country, with regular matches played between the universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, Stirling, Glasgow and Edinburgh. 

In 1990, Edinburgh Women WRFC was established as Scotland’s first domestic women’s club. Just one year later, the club broke new ground by securing permission to compete in the Scottish University League while also testing themselves in the Women’s Rugby Football Union (WRFU) Northern Division, travelling regularly to the north of England for league fixtures. 

International women’s rugby kicks-off 

Years of development at grassroots and university level ultimately led to a landmark moment for the sport. 

On Valentine’s Day 1993, Scotland hosted Ireland at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh for the first official women’s international match involving Scotland. For both teams, the game represented the culmination of years of effort building women’s rugby in their respective countries. 

Leading from the front was Scotland’s first captain, Sandra Colamartino, who scored both tries in the historic match. 

Reflecting on the progress made since that cold February afternoon in 1993, Sandra remains a passionate advocate for the game and the community it builds. 

“It means the world to see today’s girls and women enjoying their rugby at such a high level. Rugby delivers so much mentally and physically, and you build friendships that last a lifetime. On International Women’s Day, while we recognise all that has been achieved, we must keep working hard to ensure the game continues to thrive for all. As women, we must never take our eye off the ball.” 

– Sandra Colamartino, captain of the first Scotland Women’s rugby international team. 

Running out alongside Colamartino that day were players whose names have become synonymous with the grit and passion of Scottish rugby. The squad featured icons of the game like Donna Kennedy, who would go on to become one of the world’s most-capped players, and Lee Cockburn, a powerhouse of the early era. 

The 1993 debut served as the catalyst for a decade of rapid growth. Only one year later, the Scottish Women’s Rugby Union (SWRU) stepped in to host the 1994 World Cup on incredibly short notice. The foundations laid at Raeburn Place eventually paved the way for the legendary 1998 Grand Slam winning side, a team that featured several pioneers from that very first match against Ireland. 

Today, as the squad prepares to run out in front of record-breaking crowds at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, they follow the trail blazed by Colamartino and her teammates. Their legacy is felt in every tackle, every try, and every young girl picking up a rugby ball for the first time this International Women’s Day. 

Growth of the domestic rugby 

As the international team developed, the domestic game across Scotland continued to grow. Clubs began to emerge across the country helping to establish strong local foundations for the senior national team. 

Today, there are 62 Clubs with Female Youth Teams and 71 Clubs with a Female Adult Teams competing across Scotland stretching from Orkney to Biggar, Oban to Cupar. (get the stat from rugby dev/Rosy Ryan) 

At age-grade level there are now national conferences and regional leagues for U16 and U18 players, sponsored by inspiresport, alongside the National Youth Cups competitions.  

Across the senior game, clubs are involved in the Arnold Clark Premiership, Regional Leagues and the Aspiring League. Women’s teams are currently competing in the Sarah Beaney Cup, National Shield, National Plate and National Bowl, with the competitions culminating at Silver Saturday at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in May. 

Professionalising the game and leadership 

The push toward professionalisation accelerated in 2016 when Jade Konkel became Scotland’s first full-time professional female player. 

Fast forward to the 2025/26 season, and Scottish Rugby further deepened its commitment to the women’s game by enhancing its annual contracting model. This evolution has seen an increase in the number of contracted players to 35, with up to 50 athletes benefitting from access to high-performance environments. 

In addition to players, in 2017 Hollie Davidson became the first contracted female referee. 

Just one year later, Dee Bradbury – mother of Scotland international, Magnus Bradbury – made history as the first female President of a Tier 1 union.  

In 2023, Scottish Rugby collaborated with the IRFU and WRU and launched the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border competition designed to bridge the gap between club and international rugby. There are now two teams playing out of Scotland – Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby. Players including Alex Stewart, Molly Poolman, Gemma Bell, Fi McIntosh, Lucia Scott, Rachel Philipps, Hannah Ramsay and Leia Brebner-Holden have come through the Celtic Challenge competition to make their debut for Scotland since its inception. 

Now there is a Central Programme operating in Scotland, where selected players are supported with Strength and Conditioning training, rugby and skills sessions, alongside nutrition, medical and wellbeing.  

There is also now a full pathway for age-grade rugby with Scotland Women U18 participating annually in the Six Nations Festival. Scotland Women U20 programme now enters a new era, evolving from the Six Nations Summer Series; the team now expands to an U21 side and will participate in their own Six Nations tournament which run adjacent to the senior competition. 

Legacy continuing 

Today’s Scotland players stand on the shoulders of the pioneers who first pulled on the jersey more than three decades ago. 

2026 will stand as a groundbreaking year for the women’s game in Scotland, as our senior national team take centre stage at Scottish Gas Murrayfield to face the Red Roses in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations. 

This is a historic move that reflects the incredible growth of the game, with a record-breaking crowd of over 19,000 tickets already sold. As the players run out onto the national pitch, they do so carrying the legacy of every pioneer who came before them, marking a new chapter in the proud history of Scottish women’s rugby.   

Their legacy lives on in every tackle, every try, and every young girl picking up a rugby ball for the first time this International Women’s Day.

The post The Beginnings of Women’s Rugby in Scotland appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

“From a quiet, shy, no clue what I’m doing beginner player to gobby fly half, it’s impossible It’s impossible to pick just one woman to highlight when I think about my grassroots rugby journey. Every single person I’ve watched, played with or coached alongside has influenced me in some way.

“Being part of such a supportive squad allowed me to shine while also learning the quirks of the game; making mistakes, learning from them, and growing in an environment that constantly pushed me to improve and aim higher. Now I try to pass those lessons on to newer players and support their journeys from a leadership position.

“Helping coach the girls’ team at Dunfermline and watching them go through the same behaviours and confidence struggles I once had – then seeing them completely overcome those challenges – is something that’s hard to put into words.”

“Seeing some of my former teammates go on to incredible opportunities with Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Women, competing at such a high level, is so exciting not just for me, but for the young girls coming through the ranks. I absolutely love it!”

Elis Martin during a Scotland Women’s Rugby training session at Peffermill Playing Fields, on June 03, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Elis Martin, Scotland international

“When I think about the theme of ‘Give to Gain’ I think the women in my life who have given so much to me would be the women in our management and medical team at Scottish Rugby, past and present.

“Just to name a few; Flo, Ellen, Josie, Lara, Morag, Eilidh, Emma, Mhairi and Fiona. These women have lives and commitments of their own, kids and grandkids, but they have had to sacrifice time with them to work with us to make sure that we can succeed in this sport.

“Individually, the support I’ve received from Josie and Flo in particular has been unmatched and you just don’t get care like that anywhere else in the world. The sacrifices and choices they have made to help us perform the way that we do is unbelievable, and no doubt it’s because of that platform they give us to do so. The reason we stand as high as we do is because we stand on their shoulders.”

Emma Orr, Scotland international

“A woman in my life who truly epitomises the ‘Give to Gain’ theme for International Women’s Day is my mum. She is the most incredible woman I know. She works tirelessly on the farm and supports me, my three siblings, and my dad through her constant generosity, strength, and collaboration.

“She’s our Wonder Woman and somehow manages to do it all. She’s always the first person to step in and help others as they work towards their goals. For me, she is my absolute rock, and I know she is that for so many other people too. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without her support and inspiration – I’ve always wanted to be like her.”

Kaeli King and her Watsonians teamates celebrate at full-time as they are crowned Sarah Beaney Cup Champions during the Sarah Beaney Cup Final between Hillhead Jordanhill v Watsonian during Silver Saturday at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in 2025.

Kaeli King, Watsonian FC

“Charlotte Runcie was a huge part of the reason I joined the club. I knew her from the sevens circuit, she has such infectious energy. Even though she has retired from playing she has been doing a strength and conditioning programme for the last few seasons for the team, and she does this in her own time. Something I’ll say about her is she always has time for anyone who has a question, or who’s skill level isn’t quite there yet, she wants us all to be better. I really admire how supportive she is of all the women on the team.

“Additionally our physio Fi Robertson, she has been the biggest reason I’ve been able to get back to playing from injuries. Within her role she goes above and beyond for us in terms of working with health professionals, listening to us, giving up her time and weekends. That kind of support in sport is invaluable.”

The post International Women’s Day | Give to Gain appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

To the action, then, and the hefty chronological breakdown to follow.

Huw Jones had the game’s first line break, and it was the precursor to the game’s opening try; a marquee one at that. Finn Russell’s apparent fumble went backwards and after regathering, he slipped in Darcy Graham who took the invitation to become Scotland Men’s all-time leading try scorer and answered emphatically for his 36^th international score. Russell converted as Scotland got the start they had doubtless dreamed of (7-0, 5 mins).

When Matthieu Jalibert’s grubber escaped Théo Atissogbe’s clutches, it was something of a warning shot, and a portal of what was about to happen. Scotland won a scrum on their own 5m but after laying the foundations with a ruck from Sione Tuipulotu’s nudge, Antoine Dupont showed his street smarts in pilfering, before Jalibert found Louis Bialle-Biarrey in the left corner for the winger’s scarcely believable ninth try in consecutive Guinness Men’s Six Nations games. Ramos’ conversion was, as it so often is, on the money (7-7, 18 mins).

France’s next followed two minutes later and it was an altogether simpler task as Atissogbe ran onto Bialle-Biarrey’s grubber for the easiest of tries, Ramos again converting (7-14, 22 mins).

If many Scots feared the worst at that point, they were to be proven wrong and then some.

Graham was tackled off the ball, and then Oscar Jegou played Ben White before the scrum-half could use the ball at a ruck, and Russell caressed one into touch in order that Scotland might mount.

From the resulting line-out, they roared back into proceedings with a glorious bit of set-piece work. George Turner wrapped around and went full playmaker to put Kyle Steyn in on his inside, the winger scything through and going over for this 17^th Scotland try (12-14, 26 mins).

The hosts then had the opportunity to retake the lead when Julien Marchand was called offside by referee Angus Gardner after half an hour. Russell opted for the corner instead of the three-point penalty, and how it paid off.

It was like a scene from a battle movie as Scotland went time and again to the line without quite getting it done – largely down to some excellent French rearguard action. Penalty advantages stacked up and when Pierre Schoeman barged over for Scotland’s third, converted by Russell again, France’s woe was compounded by the showing of a yellow card for Jalibert (19-14, 33 mins).

Pictured: Pierre Schoeman emerges from scoring a seventh Scotland try

In the ascendancy without doubt, Scotland sought one more scoreboard ticker before the interval but France held out with 14 men, with which they would need to negotiate the first three minutes of the second half.

Half-time: Scotland 19-14 France

You felt it was imperative that Scotland got the first score of the second half and it took all of those three minutes for it to happen. After Sione Tuipulotu was collared high when he looked well placed to score, it was a case of Russell rinse and repeating a clip into the corner for another attacking set piece. Once more it brought priceless bullion for the hosts when, with another advantage in the bank, Ben White pounced on a gaping hole in French ranks to secure his side a try-scoring bonus point. Russell stretched the lead to 12 with his simplest conversion of the day (26-14, 43 mins).

If France were spooked, they were soon flat-out stunned when, from a seemingly innocuous ruck, Dupont’s pass found its way into the intercepting hands of Steyn, who, powered by the raucous capacity crowd, summoned the afterburners and hared home for his second, once more converted by Russell (33-14, 51 mins).

A French offside brought another, swaggering kick to the corner as Scotland looked to kill the game. And after another belligerent attacking maul, Blair Kinghorn wriggled and writhed in the tackle, buying enough time to allow Graham to dive through another porous gap to go over for his second under the sticks (40-14, 59 mins).

It was a day for doubting reality; for checking with those around you that what was happening was not just historic, but actually real. Dupont, the game’s greatest talent, somehow threw a forward pass inside his own goal area to hand Scotland a scrum 5m out. This time it was Tom Jordan who punched his way over for a seventh home try (47-14, 64 mins). Reality rarely looked so good.

Dupont then ended a length-of-field break with a stunning team try. That it barely raised an eyebrow from those of a Scottish persuasion highlighted the dominance the hosts had enjoyed. (47-21, 66 mins).

Even with the game won, Graham’s powers of stamina to race from his own station to cover a try on the left showcased the desire within Scottish ranks to avoid a visiting bonus point.

Ramos then delivered a tidy close-range finish to give France the bonus point they needed to remain top of the table – on points difference alone by this stage, from their hosts in second (47-26, 74 mins).

Russell took his own tally to 15, as Scotland remarkably reached a half-century of points with a late penalty, and Oscar Jegou had time to grab a fifth French try during which Josh Bayliss was sin-binned (50-33, 78 mins).

Ramos went over again – not many teams can have lost at international level after scoring six tries – and he converted but it was the final act (50-40, 80 mins).

The headline, from the myriad contenders, was that Scotland had comprehensively beaten the continent’s top team to win The Auld Alliance Trophy and ensure that the culmination of the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations will have a vested Scottish interest.

Full-time: Scotland 50-40 France

Pictured: The victorious Auld Alliance Trophy winners

Scotland: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu (captain), Kyle Steyn (all Glasgow Warriors); Finn Rusell (Bath Rugby), Ben White (Toulon); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), George Turner (Harlequins), D’arcy Rae (Edinburgh Rugby), Gregor Brown, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey (all Glasgow Warriors).

Replacements: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Turner, 51 mins), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors) (for Schoeman, 66 mins), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) (for Rae, 39 mins), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Brown, 33 mins), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Steyn, 66 mins), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) (for Cummings, 51 mins), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) (for White, 66 mins), Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears) (for Jones, 55 mins).

France: Thomas Ramos, Théo Attisogbe, Nicholas Depoortère, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bialle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Dupont (captain); Jean-Baptiste Gros, Julien Marchand, Dorian Aldegheri, Charles Ollivon, Mickaël Guillard, François Cros, Oscar Jégou, Anthony Jelonch.

Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Rodrique Neti, Demba Bamba, Thibaud Flament Emmanuel Meafou, Lenni Nouchi, Baptiste Serin, Pierre-Louis Barassi.

Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU) and Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Attendance: 67,144

Guinness Player of the Match: Kyle Steyn (Scotland)

The post Match Report: Scotland 50-40 France appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Jake Dalziel got proceedings underway in front of a sold-out Hive Stadium as Scotland kicked left to right. A big hit came in from Nairn Moncrieff from the off as Scotland looked to start with intent.

The first attack came the way of the French following a scrum for a Henry Widdowson knock on. Some free-flowing passes through the heart of the midfield saw the ball almost find the hands of Luka Keletaona, but upon a stumble in his stride he knocked on as he hit the 22 and allowed Moncrieff to mop up the danger.

Scotland thought they had the opening score in the 10^th minute through Dan Halkon after some ill discipline from the visitors. Consecutive infringements gave Dalziel the chance to kick for the corner and from there the Scottish maul motored for the line, which Halkon hit through a flurry of bodies. However, after TMO consultation referee Reuben Keane penalised Oliver McKenna for obstruction. Just a minute later, a sensational last-ditch tackle from Campbell Waugh dragged Tom Leveque into touch in the corner.

Leveque was not to be denied as he got France on the board in the opposite corner. After a penalty went against Scotland, the visitors were patient in the lineout drive and switched play through a Keletaona cross-field kick. Leveque lurked and gathered before dropping a shoulder to find the whitewash. The kick for an extra two went awry (0-5, 15 mins).

Play became condensed in the middle third of the pitch as both sides vied for control, but a rip in the ruck gave the visitors a chance to spring into life with a huge carry from Romeo Bonnard Martin. From there the backs got involved to cut through the Scottish rearguard. Neat interplay between Joachim Senga Kouo and Baptiste Tilloles resulted in the full back racing clear to dot down under the posts. This time Keletaona converted. France quickly consolidated their lead with another seven points, as second-rower Baptiste Veschambre went over low to conclude some relentless phases (0-19, 30 mins).

Five minutes before the break France secured their bonus point somewhat fortuitously through centre Adrien Drault. Another attack down the left caused the issues, where Jake Dalziel found himself in a straight foot race with winger Melvyn Rates. As the two plummeted on the ball, neither gathered and it broke loose to Drault who had the easiest of tasks to ground it.  Flanker Tana Keletaona added to the score as he charged through under intense pressure from two Scotland bodies. His namesake fly half landed one kick from two (0-31, 38 mins).

Half Time: Scotland U20 0-31 France U20

Scotland dominated the early exchanges of the second period, especially at scrum time through Ollie Blyth-Lafferty and Oliver McKenna, after four battles in a row came their way in the opening five minutes of the second period. Scotland’s hard work was rewarded when captain Joe Roberts got them on the board with an electric try. The maul was proving a handy platform for attack, and it was Roberts from the rear of the drive once more who was able to find the line after breaking away and putting the afterburners on to win the race to the corner. A tricky kick for left footed Dalziel missed the mark by a whisker (5-31, 49 mins).

It was a carbon copy which reaped rewards just five minutes later as replacement hooker Jamie McAughtrie found the turf as everyone from both teams ploughed into the lineout maul. At the rear of a brilliantly tight drive for the line was McAughtrie, with ball tucked firmly under his arm as he descended to the deck. This time it was pinpoint from the boot of Dalziel to get Scotland into double figures for the night (12-31, 57 mins).

The Scots were really clicking into gear in the second half and went over for a third time through the lively antics of Campbell Waugh. An exceptional offload from Jake Dalziel pulled the strings  as the French defence struggled to step up quick enough. As Dalziel took ball in hand from the ruck, Waugh ran a perfect inside line to sneak through unchallenged to the reception of a now raucous Hive Stadium. Dalziel followed up his assist with a conversion (19-31, 67 mins).

After giving themselves a strong foothold, Scotland were put back under the cosh. After initially repelling the attack and holding the ball up on the line, Scotland were undone and the tie was all but beyond them, as Adrien Drault scored his second of the match with the help of an impressive offload out the back door from Nils Punti. The score was converted (19-38, 71 mins).

Scotland weren’t laying down and secured a bonus point of their own through Jackson Rennie – the substitute’s second in as many matches. Searching for the line Scotland kept their foot on the throttle to launch wave after wave of attack, despite repeated infringements from their visitors. It was Rennie who landed the crucial blow to burrow over, with Dalziel again adding the extras. No sooner had Scotland got their bonus point then France added another, with Timeo Frier finding the line under close attention (26-45, 79 mins).

Full Time: Scotland U20 26-45 France U20

Scotland U20: 15. Henry Widdowson 14. Nairn Moncrieff 13. Campbell Waugh 12. Harry Clark 11. Rory McHaffie 10. Jake Dalziel 9. Adam McKenzie; 1. Oliver McKenna 2. Joe Roberts © 3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty 4. Alfie Blackett 5. Dan Halkon 6. Christian Lindsay 7. Harvey Preston 8. Rory Purvis.

Replacements: 16. Jamie McAughtrie (for Preston, 49 mins, Preston for Roberts, 52 mins), 17. Jamie Stewart (for McKenna, 49 mins) 18. Jackson Rennie (for Blyth-Lafferty, 65 mins) 19. Fin Ronnie 20. Sam Byrd (for Blackett, 49 mins) 21. Archie Appleby (for Halkon, 70 mins) 22. Hamish MacArthur (for McKenzie, 72 mins) 23. Calum Jessop (for Clark, 75 mins).

France U20: 15. Joachim Senga Kouo 14. Tom Leveque 13. Adrien Drault 12. Bastien Rasal 11. Melvyn Rates 10. Luka Keletaona 9. Baptiste Tilloles; 1. Samuel Jean-Christophe 2. Gabin Garault 3. Mael Turpin 4. Baptiste Veschambre 5. Romeo Bonnard Martin 6. Marceau Marzullo © 7. Tana Keletaona 8. Elyjah Ibsaiene.

Replacements: 16. Yanis Bass 17. Edouard-Junior Jabea Njocke 18. Ruben Pargade 19. Nils Punti 20. Lucas Andjisseramatchi 21. Nathan Llaveria 22. Gabin Kretchmann 23. Timeo Frier.

Player of the Match: Joachim Senga Kouo (France)

Referee: Reuben Keane

AR1: Robbie Jenkinson

AR2: Jack MacNeice

TMO: Leo Colgan

The post Match Report: Scotland U20 26-45 France U20 appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

“We’re really looking forward to Vancouver, I think we have a really good chance of going pretty well in this tournament,” Matt said. “We’ve played all the teams enough times now that we know what to expect and how to take them on. Our performances are just getting better and better from the first tournament, there’s a real belief in the group to push for the semi-finals. Once we get there it’s knockout rugby so who knows from there but we have a real belief.

“We have a really good squad with some fantastic rugby players, so once we get there it’ll be about trying to flip that pressure, so instead of being scared of it and worry about what could come next, we talk about winning tournaments, because once we perform well in one tournament then it takes the pressure off the next two.

“The work-ons from the last tournament were different from the first couple. After Dubai and Cape Town, we maybe had a bit of a lack of knowledge about where we were trying to get to as a group. Whereas we liked the way we started to attack and defend In Singapore and Perth so it’s now about trying to double down on those. The clarity there has become a lot more streamlined so we’re all just very excited.”

With the 7s programme emerging as a brilliant opportunity for young players to hone their skills, Matt shared his experiences of the format and how it’s helped him grow.

“7s has been huge for development. Even before I came in, the number of guys that have played 7s then gone on to play for the national team is huge. With the nature of only having two pro teams, the next level of rugby for youngsters is the Premiership which for some might not be the best pathway. Getting them involved in 7s and getting a few touches on the ball could be massive for some young players, it’s also the most exposed you’ll ever be defensively! It really can be quite tough, 7s itself is pretty physically and mentally demanding, so you end up growing up pretty quickly when you’re involved in something like this.”

Matt’s experience will no doubt be on show across this weekend, as the World Championships in Hong Kong approach. you’ll be able to catch him and all of team GB live from Vancouver on RugbyPass.

The post Player Profile: Matt Davidson appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

In the women’s side, GB stalwarts Heather Cowell, Abigail Brown and Grace Crompton will all make their way into the squad, adding Olympic experience to the group.

Great Britain 7s Director of Rugby, Ciaran Beattie, said: “As we head into the next set of events, we’re seeing some Olympic experience work its way in, which we think is going to be on show come Saturday. I think it’s been a pretty tough start for the women, but we’re all confident that they’ll keep progressing, they’re consistently taking steps forward.

“For the men, we’re welcoming back Jake Henry, he’s been involved in the Scottish Rugby system for a long time and is looking to bounce back after years of injury; he’s looking really sharp. We also have Ben Salmon from the Glasgow Pro Academy set to make his debut, we’re really excited for him to get started inside the programme and come out firing. We’ve had some good results across both teams so we’re looking to keep building towards the World Championships in Hong Kong.”

World SVNS Series Pool Fixtures Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March – All matches available live on Rugby Pass (UK kick-off times)

Men

South Africa v Great Britain – 20:03

New Zealand v Great Britain – 23:39

Spain v Great Britain – 03:18

Women

New Zealand v Great Britain – 20:47

France v Great Britain – 00:13

Japan v Great Britain – 04:02

(Remaining fixtures will be dependent on pool stage results) 

The teams

Women’s squad

2. Abigail Brown – Loughborough Lightning / RFU (CC)

4. Grace Crompton – Harlequins / RFU

8. Evelyn Clarke – Loughborough Lightning / RFU

10. Katie Shillaker – Harlequins / RFU (CC)

11. Abigail Pritchard – Gloucester Hartpury / RFU

17. Chantelle Miell – Saracens / RFU

20. Saran Jones – Brython Thunder / WRU

22. Holly Thorpe – Sale Sharks / RFU

23. Heather Cowell – Harlequins / RFU

27. Georgie Lingham – Leicester Tigers / RFU

47. Gabby Healan- Brython Thunder/ WRU

64. Amy Williams – Brython Thunder / WRU

67. Ellen Scantlebury – Exeter / RFU

Men’s squad

3. Finlay Callaghan (Scotland Sevens)

4. Roan Frostwick (Scotland Sevens)

5. Marcus Kershaw (Great Britain Sevens)

6. Matt Davidson (Scotland Sevens)

8. Jacob Henry (Scotland Sevens)

11. Ethan Waddleton (Great Britain Sevens)

12. Ben Salmon (Glasgow Warriors Pro-Academy)

13. Fin Lloyd Gilmour (Great Britain Sevens)

14. Ryan Apps (Great Britain Sevens)

15. Tom Burton (Exeter University)

23. Josh Radcliffe (Scotland Sevens)

24. Charlton Kerr (Great Britain Sevens) CAPTAIN

44. Sunni Jardine (Great Britain Sevens)

The post Great Britain 7s squads announced for Vancouver appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Jack Dempsey, who has recovered from a bicep injury sustained against England last month, returns to anchor the pack at number 8, with Matt Fagerson switching to blindside flanker and Gregor Brown slotting into the second row to accommodate Dempsey’s selection.

Vice-captain Rory Darge starts on the openside flank for the third match in a row after an impressive Player of the Match display in Cardiff two weeks ago, with Scott Cummings partnering Brown in the engine room.

Darcy Graham, who tied the Men’s all-time try record at 35 with his dazzling score last time out, gets the nod on the right wing, with Kyle Steyn, also a try scorer against Wales, moving to the left and Blair Kinghorn listed at full-back.

Captain Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, now Scotland’s top try scorer in Six Nations history with 18, once more reprise their familiar centre partnership.

And it is as you were in the half-backs, with vice-captain and stand-off Finn Russell linking up with Ben White at scrum-half.

On the bench, flanker Freddy Douglas is primed for his second cap, having become the youngest Scotland international in more than 60 years when debuting against Portugal in November 2024.

Ewan Ashman also returns to the fold to cover hooker, with props Rory Sutherland and Zander Fagerson picked to make an impact as replacements.

Grant Gilchrist and Josh Bayliss complete the forward options, with scrum-half George Horne and the versatile Tom Jordan rounding off Scotland’s matchday 23 as they bid to reclaim The Auld Alliance trophy.

Scotland team to face France in the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday 7 March 2026, kick-off 2:10pm – live on BBC One (caps in brackets):

15. Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (63)
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (53)
13. Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (61)
12. Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (36) – Captain
11. Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (31)
10. Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (92) Vice-captain
9. Ben White – Toulon (34)
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (47)
2. George Turner – Harlequins (53)
3. D’arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (5)
4. Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (15)
5. Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (48)
6. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (62)
7. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (37) Vice-captain
8. Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (31)

Replacements
16. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (33)
17. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (46)
18. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (79)
19. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (86)
20. Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby (1)
21. Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (15)
22. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (43)
23. Tom Jordan – Bristol Bears (15)

The post Scotland shuffle pack for French test appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

• Total matches played: 104

• France wins: 61

• Scotland wins: 40

• Draws: 3

Six Nations Results (2016–2025)

• 2016, Edinburgh: Scotland 29–18 France

• 2017, Paris: France 22–16 Scotland

• 2018, Edinburgh: Scotland 32–26 France

• 2019, Paris: France 27–10 Scotland

• 2020, Edinburgh: Scotland 28–17 France

• 2021, Paris: France 23–27 Scotland

• 2022, Edinburgh: Scotland 17–36 France

• 2023, Paris: France 32–21 Scotland

• 2024, Edinburgh: Scotland 16–20 France

• 2025, Paris: France 35–16 Scotland

Win-Loss Record (2016–2025)

• Scotland wins: 4

• France wins: 6

• Draws: 0

Aggregate Points and Margins (Last 10 Years)

• Scotland total points: 212

• Scotland average points per match: 21.2

• France total points: 256

• France average points per match: 25.6

• Largest Scotland margin: 11 points (29–18, 2016; 28–17, 2020)

• Largest France margin: 19 points (36–17, 2022; 35–16, 2025)

• Smallest margin: 4 points (Scotland 27–23 France, 2021; Scotland 16–20 France, 2024)

Home vs Away Performance (2016–2025)

In Scotland:

• Matches played: 5

• Scotland wins: 3

• France wins: 2

• Average Scotland score: 24.4

• Average France score: 23.4

In France:

• Matches played: 5

• Scotland wins: 1

• France wins: 4

• Average Scotland score: 18.0

• Average France score: 27.8

Scoring Highlights

• Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland): Scored the decisive last-minute try in the 2021 Paris victory, Scotland’s first win in the French capital since 1999.

• Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France): In the 2025 match, he scored his eighth try of the tournament, setting a new record for the most tries scored by an individual in a single Six Nations campaign.

• Point Consistency: Scotland has scored at least 15 points in 9 out of the last 10 meetings, highlighting the offensive nature of this specific rivalry.

The Auld Alliance Trophy

Since 2018, the match has carried additional significance with the introduction of the Auld Alliance Trophy. This trophy commemorates the rugby players from both nations who lost their lives during the First World War, specifically honoring the captains from the last matches played before the conflict: Scotland’s Eric Milroy and France’s Marcel Burgun.

Auld Alliance Trophy Summary (2018–2025):

• Scotland wins: 3

• France wins: 5

• Current Holders: France (Retained in 2025)

Next Scheduled Fixture

• Date: Saturday 7 March 2026

• Kick-off time: 2:10pm GMT

• Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh

• Competition: 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations

The post Scotland vs France: Head-to-Head Rugby Statistics (2016–2025) appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

Oliver McKenna returns at loosehead prop in the other forwards change, while the only alteration in the back line sees Adam McKenzie start at scrum-half for the first time.

McKenna is joined in the front row by hooker Joe Roberts, who captains the side, and tighthead prop Ollie Blyth-Lafferty.

Halkon partners Alfie Blackett, who continues in the second row. Christian Lindsay moves from the second row to blindside flanker and makes up the back row with openside Harvey Preston and number 8 Rory Purvis.

McKenzie links up with Jake Dalziel at stand-off in the half-backs. Harry Clark, a late replacement for the injured Ross Wolfenden against Wales, continues at inside centre with Campbell Waugh again on his outside.

Nairn Moncrieff is on the right wing, with Rory McHaffie on the left, and Henry Widdowson once more starts at full-back.

Hooker Jamie McAughtrie and props Jamie Stewart and Jackson Rennie are primed to come on in the front row, with Fin Ronnie, Sam Byrd and Archie Appleby offering loose-five options from the bench.

The lineup is completed by Hamish MacArthur and Calum Jessop, the two backs replacements in a 6-2 bench split.

The remaining tickets are available HERE.

Scotland U20 team to play France U20 at Hive Stadium on Friday (kick off 6.15pm) – live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

15. Henry Widdowson (Edinburgh Rugby)
14. Nairn Moncrieff (Edinburgh Rugby)
13. Campbell Waugh (Glasgow Hawks)
12. Harry Clark (Watsonian FC)
11. Rory McHaffie (Edinburgh Rugby)

10. Jake Dalziel (Merchiston Castle School/Melrose RFC)
9. Adam McKenzie (Watsonian FC)

1. Oliver McKenna (Glasgow Warriors)
2. Joe Roberts – Captain (Glasgow Warriors)
3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby)
4. Alfie Blackett (Cardiff Metropolitan University)
5. Dan Halkon (Glasgow Warriors)
6. Christian Lindsay (Edinburgh Rugby)
7. Harvey Preston (Glasgow Hawks)
8. Rory Purvis (Glasgow Warriors)

Replacements

16. Jamie McAughtrie (Ayr RFC)
17. Jamie Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby)
18. Jackson Rennie (Glasgow Warriors)
19. Fin Ronnie (Watsonian FC)
20. Sam Byrd (Edinburgh Rugby)
21. Archie Appleby (Northampton Saints)
22. Hamish MacArthur (Edinburgh Rugby)
23. Calum Jessop (Heriot’s Rugby)

The post Halkon returns as Scotland U20 team named for France appeared first on Scottish Rugby.

The weekend’s rugby begins on Friday evening at Hive Stadium. Scotland’s Under-20 side will face a significant challenge against a physical French team as they continue their 2026 campaign.

• Date: Friday, 6 March 2026

• Kick-off: 6:15pm

• Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh

How to watch Supporters can watch live coverage of the Under-20 match through BBC digital platforms. The game will be available to stream on the BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, and via the BBC Sport app, streaming the full 80 minutes of action.

Scotland v France – Guinness Men’s Six Nations

The senior sides meet on Saturday afternoon at Scottish Gas Murrayfield. This fixture has produced some of the most entertaining matches in recent seasons, with both teams known for their expansive styles of play.

• Date: Saturday, 7 March 2026

• Kick-off: 2:10pm

• Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh

How to watch on TV and live stream

• TV: BBC One and Premier Sports

• Live stream: BBC iPlayer and the Premier Sports Player

The match will be broadcast live on BBC One, featuring a full build-up and post-match analysis. For those with a subscription, Premier Sports will also provide comprehensive live coverage of the encounter. Fans can stream the match live through the BBC iPlayer or the Premier Player app across all compatible devices.

Weekend Rugby at-a-glance

• Friday: Scotland U20 v France U20 – Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport (6:15pm)

• Saturday: Scotland v France (Men’s Six Nations) – Live on BBC One & Premier Sports (2:10pm)

With both matches taking place in the capital, it is another important weekend for the national squads as they look to secure results on home soil.

The post How to follow Scotland v France this weekend appeared first on Scottish Rugby.