Union | Scottish Rugby Union | ||
---|---|---|---|
Head coach | Bryan Easson | ||
Captain | Rachel Malcolm | ||
| |||
World Rugby ranking | |||
Current | 6 (as of 15 July 2024) | ||
First international | |||
Scotland 10–0 Ireland ( Edinburgh, Scotland; 14 February 1993) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Russia 0–84 Scotland ( Enköping, Sweden; 17 May 2009) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
England 89–0 Scotland ( Twickenham, England; 13 March 2011) | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 5 (First in 1994) | ||
Best result | 5th, 1994 |
The Scotland women's national rugby union team represents Scotland in women's international rugby union and is governed by the Scottish Rugby Union. The team competes in the annual Women's Six National Championship and has competed in five of the Women's Rugby World Cups since their hosted debut in 1994. The Nation plays an important role in the rugby world stage.
Scotland Women's first official test match was played against Ireland at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh on 14 February 1993, ending in a 10 - 0 win to the hosts. Leading from the front, first Scotland captain Sandra Colamartino was the scorer of both tries. [1]
In April of the following year, Scotland stepped in as alternate host of the 1994 Women's Rugby World Cup, finishing fifth, the team's best appearance to date. Since then, the Women's team have competed in the 1998, 2002 ,2006, 2010 and 2021 iterations of the tournament.
The early streak of success peaked on 21 March 1998, as a 8–5 win over England in their final match of the Home Nations Championship marked the achievement of a Grand Slam for Scotland.
The Scottish Women's Rugby Union (SWRU) was the national governing body for women's rugby union in Scotland. It was responsible for the governance of women's rugby union within Scotland. Its role was all-encompassing. It went from youth recruitment, through administering all senior based (aged 16+) competition, through to the performance and management of the Scotland women's national rugby union team.
At its AGM in June 2009, the SWRU voted unanimously in favour of amalgamating the Scottish Rugby Union and the SWRU to form an integrated national governing body rugby in Scotland. [2]
The thistle is the national flower, and also the symbol of the Scotland national rugby union team. According to legend the "guardian thistle" has played its part in the defence of Scotland against a night attack by Norwegian Vikings, one of whom let out a yell of pain when he stepped barefoot on a thistle, alerting the Scottish defenders. The Latin Nemo me impune lacessit ("No-one provokes me with impunity!" in English) is the motto of Scotland's premier chivalric order, the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. [3]
"Flower of Scotland" has been used since 1990 as Scotland's unofficial national anthem. It was written by Roy Williamson of The Corries in 1967, and adopted by the SRU to replace "God Save the Queen".
Scotland have traditionally worn navy blue jerseys, white shorts and blue socks. On the occasion that Scotland is the home side and the opposing team normally wears dark colours, Scotland will use its change strip. Traditionally this is a white jersey with navy blue shorts and socks. During a sponsorship deal, purple was introduced to the traditional blue jersey. This was a significant departure from the traditional colours of blue and white, although purple is inspired from the thistle flower.
Rank | Change* | Team | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | England | 96.90 | |
2 | 1 | New Zealand | 89.32 |
3 | 1 | Canada | 89.13 |
4 | France | 87.27 | |
5 | Australia | 78.00 | |
6 | Scotland | 75.99 | |
7 | United States | 74.57 | |
8 | Wales | 74.28 | |
9 | Italy | 74.26 | |
10 | Ireland | 73.53 | |
11 | Japan | 68.23 | |
12 | South Africa | 65.17 | |
13 | Spain | 65.15 | |
14 | Fiji | 61.19 | |
15 | Russia | 61.10 | |
16 | Netherlands | 58.98 | |
17 | Hong Kong | 58.76 | |
18 | Samoa | 58.48 | |
19 | Kazakhstan | 55.23 | |
20 | Sweden | 52.72 | |
*Change from the previous week |
(Full internationals only)
Correct as of 13 October 2023
Opponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 1999 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00% |
Belgium | 2009 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
Canada | 1994 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14.29% |
Colombia | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
England | 1994 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 6.25% |
France | 1998 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 17.86% |
Ireland | 1993 | 32 | 17 | 0 | 15 | 53.13% |
Italy | 1988 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 31.18% |
Japan | 2019 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50.00% |
Kazakhstan | 2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
Netherlands | 1995 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 83.33% |
New Zealand | 1994 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.00% |
Russia | 1994 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
Samoa | 2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
South Africa | 2010 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 60.00% |
Spain | 1997 | 23 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 65.22% |
Sweden | 1994 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
United States | 1998 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16.67% |
Wales | 1993 | 36 | 16 | 0 | 20 | 44.44% |
Summary | 1993 | 221 | 88 | 2 | 131 | 39.82% |
Rugby World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1991 | Did not participate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1994 | 5th place | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 72 | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1998 | 6th place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 89 | 141 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2002 | 6th place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | 6th place | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 67 | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | 8th place | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 57 | 132 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 | Pool stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 5th Place | 27 | 11 | 0 | 16 | 353 | 529 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Scotland announced a 34-player squad on 19 February. [5] [6]
On 25 March, Natasha Logan was added to the squad to replace the injured Sarah Bonar. [7]
Caps as of 23 March 2023.
The following Scotland players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001: [8]
|
The following Scotland players have been recognised in the Women's Six Nations Awards since 2020: [9] [10] [11]
|
Women's international rugby – the most complete listing of women's international results since 1982
The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national team, although they can pick uncapped players who are eligible for any of the four unions. The team tours every four years, with these rotating between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in order. The most recent test series, the 2021 series against South Africa, was won 2–1 by South Africa.
The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their emblem is the Springbok, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the top-ranked rugby team in the world and reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.
The England men's national rugby union team represents the Rugby Football Union in men's international rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England have won the championship on 29 occasions, winning the Grand Slam 14 times and the Triple Crown 26 times, making them the most successful outright winners in the tournament's history. They are currently the only team from the Northern Hemisphere to win the Rugby World Cup, having won the tournament in 2003, and have been runners-up on three further occasions.
The Scotland national rugby union team represents the Scottish Rugby Union in men's international rugby union. The team takes part in the annual Six Nations Championship, where they are the current Calcutta Cup and Doddie Weir Cup holders. They also participate in the Rugby World Cup, which takes place every four years.
The Japan national rugby union team, also known as the Cherry Blossoms, Brave Blossoms, or simply Sakura, is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia and has enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years. Rugby union in Japan is administered by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), which was founded in 1926. They compete annually in the Pacific Nations Cup and previously in the Asia Rugby Championship. They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup since the tournament began in 1987.
The Argentina national rugby union team represents Argentina in men's international competitions, The Argentine Rugby Union. Officially nicknamed Los Pumas, they play in sky blue and white jerseys. They are ranked 7th in the world by World Rugby, making them by some distance the highest-ranked nation in the Americas.
The France national rugby union team represents the French Rugby Federation in men's international rugby union matches. Colloquially known as Le XV de France, the team traditionally wears blue shirts with a Gallic rooster embroidered on the chest, white shorts and red socks in reference to the French national flag. Les Bleus mostly play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship along with England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. France have won the tournament on 26 occasions, winning the Grand Slam 10 times.
The Italy national rugby union team represents the Italian Rugby Federation in men's international rugby union. The team is known as gli Azzurri. Savoy blue is the common colour of the national teams representing Italy, as it is the traditional colour of the royal House of Savoy which reigned over the Kingdom of Italy from 1860 to 1946.
The Romania national rugby union team represents Romania in men's international rugby union competitions. Nicknamed Stejarii, the team is long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations. They have participated in all but one Rugby World Cup and currently compete in the first division of the European Nations Cup, which they won in 2017. Rugby union in Romania is administered by the Romanian Rugby Federation.
The Samoa national rugby union team represents the Samoa Rugby Union in men's international rugby union. They are also known as "Manu Samoa", which is thought to derive from the name of a Samoan warrior. They perform a traditional Samoan challenge called the siva tau before each game. Samoa Rugby Union were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Tonga. They are ranked 11th in the world.
The Fiji national rugby union team represents Fiji in men's international rugby union. Fiji competed in the Pacific Tri-Nations and now competes in its successor tournament Pacific Nations Cup. Fiji also regularly plays test matches during the June and November test windows. They have beaten the major rugby playing sides of Wales, Scotland, Australia, France, Italy, Argentina and England. The only major sides Fiji are yet to beat are New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland.
The Tonga national rugby union team represents the Tonga Rugby Union in men's international rugby union. The team is nicknamed ʻIkale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a traditional challenge – the Sipi Tau. They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Samoa. The Ikale Tahi achieved a historic 19–14 victory over France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but having lost to New Zealand and Canada, were unable to achieve what would have been their first-ever presence at the quarter-finals.
The Spain national rugby union team, nicknamed Los Leones, represents the Spanish Rugby Federation in men's international rugby union competitions. The team annually takes part in the European Nations Cup, the highest European rugby championship outside the Six Nations. The national side is ranked 20th in the world.
The Russia women's national football team represents Russia in international women's football. The team is controlled by the Russian Football Union and affiliated with UEFA. Yuri Krasnozhan replaced Elena Fomina as coach of the team in December 2020.
The France women's national rugby union team represents France in women's international rugby union. They played the first-ever women's rugby union test match against the Netherlands on 13 June 1982. They compete annually in the Women's Six Nations Championship and have placed third in seven of nine Rugby World Cup's.
The England women's national rugby union team, commonly known as the Red Roses, represents England in women's international rugby union. They compete in the annual Women's Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England have won the championship on a total of 20 out of 29 occasions – winning the Grand Slam 18 times and the Triple Crown 24 times – making them the most successful side in the tournament's history, helped by their status as the only fully professional women's team in 2019. They won the Women's Rugby World Cup in 1994 and 2014, and have been runners-up on six other occasions. Their current permanent head coach, as of October 2023, is John Mitchell.
The Ireland women's national rugby union team represents Ireland in international women's rugby union competitions such as the Women's Six Nations Championship and the Women's Rugby World Cup. They have also represented Ireland in the FIRA Women's European Championship. Ireland won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships. In 2013 they also achieved both a Triple Crown and Grand Slam. They finished fourth in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup after defeating New Zealand in the pool stages. Ireland hosted the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. The team was originally organised by the Irish Women's Rugby Football Union. However, since 2009 it has been organised by the Irish Rugby Football Union
Wimbledon Rugby Football Club is a sports club based in Wimbledon, London. The club was a founding member of the Rugby Football Union and were at that time known as the Wimbledon Hornets. The first rugby union team currently play in National League 2 East following their promotion from Regional 1 South Central at the end of 2022–23 season.
Rachel McLachlan is a Scottish rugby player from Edinburgh and 2015 U18 and U21 Scottish Judo Champion. Within nine months of starting rugby, she was asked to join the Scottish team. She played in the 2018, 2019 and 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.
The 2024 Women's Six Nations Championship was the 23rd edition of the Women's Six Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England are the defending champions, having won their 19th title in 2023.