| Full name | Glasgow Warriors Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | Scottish Rugby Union | |
| Founded | 2023 | |
| Location | Glasgow, Scotland | |
| Ground(s) | Scotstoun Stadium (Capacity: 7,351 [1] using additional temporary seating) | |
| Coach(es) | Chris Laidlaw | |
| League(s) | Celtic Challenge | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| glasgowwarriors | ||
 Current season | ||
Glasgow Warriors Women are a select provincial rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the Celtic Challenge league.
Glasgow Warriors Women was formed in December 2023 by Glasgow Warriors and the Scottish Rugby Union to play in the Celtic Challenge, [2] [3] a cross-border women's rugby union competition that will be held annually. The competition was launched in 2023 and is designed to develop players for the Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. [3]
The 2023–24 season saw Glasgow trail in the Celtic Challenge league picking up only 1 league point from their 7 matches. The point came in the last play-off rounds.
For the 2024–25 season, Lindsey Smith was promoted from Assistant Coach to Head Coach with Chris Laidlaw stepping down. [4]
Glasgow Warriors women's side play their home matches at Scotstoun Stadium.
| Celtic Challenge |
| Season | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | BP | Pts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 6th | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 87 | 222 | -135 | 1 | 1 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Gwalia Lightning | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 22 | +30 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 2 |  Edinburgh Rugby | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 15 | +48 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 |  Wolfhounds | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 38 | +5 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Clovers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 43 | −5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | Brython Thunder | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 52 | −30 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Glasgow Warriors | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 63 | −48 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lindsey Smith was named as the new Head Coach in November 2024. [5]
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Lindsey Smith | Head coach |
| Megan Kennedy | Assistant coach |
| Stuart Lewis | Assistant coach |
| | Forwards Coach |
| Fraser Brown | Defence Coach |
The squad for the 2023–24 Season was announced on 19 December 2023. [6]
On 28 December 2023, Emma Turner and Rhea Clarke were named as co-captains. [7] Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
On 27 December 2023, Scottish Rugby announced 11 transitional players that could play for either Scottish Celtic challenge team. [8] Transitional players were selected through a Scottish qualified programme, a programme to develop and support Scottish qualified players living outside of Scotland, as well as players who have previously been involved with Scotland but currently live outside of Scotland. [8]
| Name | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Izzy Hannay | Flanker |  Harlequins |
| Gemma Bell | Flanker | Gloucester-Hartpury |
| Evie Addy | Prop | Gloucester-Hartpury |
| Nicole Marlow | Fly Half | Cardiff Metropolitan University |
| Leia Brebner-Holden | Scrum Half | Gloucester-Hartpury |
| Izzy McGuire-Evans | Centre | Sale Sharks |
| Orla Proctor | Full Back | Leicester Tigers |
| Nicola Haynes | Hooker | Saracens |
| Demi Swann | Prop | Exeter Chiefs |
| Fiona McIntosh | Lock | Saracens |
| Panashe Muzambe | Prop | Exeter Chiefs |
International players released to play for Glasgow Warriors in the Celtic Challenge league. [9]
| Name | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Louise McMillan | Lock | Saracens |
| Mairi McDonald | Scrum Half | Exeter Chiefs |
| Beth Blacklock | Centre | Saracens |
| Coreen Grant | Wing | Saracens |
Other players added to the original squad.
| Name | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Priya Crawford | Scrum Half | Strathclyde University |
| Gisele Chicot | Centre | Heriots Blues |
| Kiyomi Honjigawa | Full Back | Corstorphine Cougars |
| Coach | Period(s) |
|---|---|
| Chris Laidlaw | 2023 – 11/2024 |
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. Now marketed as Scottish Rugby, it is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873. The SRU oversees the national league system, known as the Scottish League Championship, and the Scottish National teams. The SRU is headed by the President and Chairman, with Mark Dodson acting as the chief executive officer. Dee Bradbury became the first female president of a Tier 1 rugby nation upon her appointment on 4 August 2018.
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in South Africa, and the BKT United Rugby Championship in the competition's other territories, the split branding mirroring the format previously adopted in Super Rugby. The Championship represents the highest level of domestic club or franchise rugby in each of its constituent countries.
Edinburgh Rugby is one of the two professional rugby union teams from Scotland. The club competes in the United Rugby Championship, along with the Glasgow Warriors, its oldest rival. Edinburgh plays the majority of its home games at Edinburgh Rugby Stadium.
Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and became the first Scottish team to win a major trophy in rugby union's professional era. In 2023-24 they became the first Scottish side to win the United Rugby Championship in its current form. The side is known for its fast, dynamic and attacking style of play, using offloads and quick rucks. Defensively the club prides itself on its 'Fortress Scotstoun' where the club play at home.
Daniel Arthur Parks is a professional rugby union coach and former player who played as a fly-half.
Peter Horne is a Scottish rugby union coach and the current assistant coach for Scotland. He previously was Head Coach of the Ayrshire Bulls and a Skills Coach for Glasgow Warriors. As a player he was a Scotland international rugby union player; and at club level he previously played for Glasgow Warriors for over a decade. At the time of his retirement he was the club's most capped back.
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Adam Ashe is a Scotland international rugby union coach and former player. He is the Assistant Coach for the Stirling Wolves. He previously played for the LA Giltinis of Major League Rugby in the MLR; and for Glasgow Warriors.
The 1872 Cup – also known as the 1872 Challenge Cup – is a men's rugby union tournament contested every year between the two Scottish professional clubs, Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby.
Glasgow District is a Scottish amateur rugby union team which plays in the amateur Scottish Inter-District Championship. The side evolved into the professional provincial side Glasgow Warriors when the Scottish Rugby Union embraced professionalism. However the amateur district is still used for the representation of amateur players in the Inter-District Championship; and this amateur championship guides the selection of Scotland Club XV international players.
The Scottish Inter-District Championship is a rugby union competition between regional sides in Scotland. Established in 1953, the tournament went through several formats.
Nick Grigg is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Miami Sharks in Major League Rugby.
Alan Brown is a former Scotland Club XV international rugby union player for Glasgow Warriors, who played at the Tighthead Prop position, although he could also be used in the Back Row if necessitated. Alan also went on to be a very successful coach after his player and assistant coach days. In 2018 he moved to Strathmore RFC, and in his first season they won the league and gained promotion as well as the quarter-finals of the Scottish cup. Alan then returned to Dundee rugby as head coach for the latter 2020 season. The team competes in the Scottish National League Division One.
Sione Tuipulotu is a professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Glasgow Warriors. Born in Australia, he is the current captain of the Scotland national rugby union team after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Alasdhair McFarlane, is a former Scottish U21 and Scotland Club XV international rugby union player, formerly of Glasgow Warriors. McFarlane played at Scrum-Half.
The Celtic Challenge is a cross-border women's rugby union competition that will be held annually, launched in 2023. Designed to develop players for the Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the inaugural pilot edition featured a double round robin between three teams, one from each participating union. From 2024 the competition will involve six teams, two from each participating union. Beginning with the 2024–25 season, the competition will maintain its six-team setup, transitioning into a full home-and-away round-robin format. The winners will be determined by standings at the end of the season.
The 2023–24 Celtic Challenge was the second season of the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border women's rugby union competition with teams from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The enlarged six team tournament featured a single round robin fixture series, after which the six team table is split in two. This is followed by three further 'play-off' rounds in a set of three double-header fixtures. Each team will therefore play a seven match season.
Edinburgh Rugby Women are a select provincial rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the Celtic Challenge league.
The 2024–25 Celtic Challenge is the third season of the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border women's rugby union competition with teams from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The six team tournament features a full double round robin fixture series, with each team playing the others both home and away. Each team will therefore play a ten match season, three more than the previous edition.
