New Scotland Women coach sets Six Nations aim and insists he has nothing to prove on Welsh return

Cunningham, 43, is part of the national side’s new coaching regime which will look to make a winning start to this season’s Women’s Six Nations when Scotland take on Wales at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.

He served as the Wales Women’s head coach from 2021 to 2024 and then had a spell in charge of Fiji whom he led to the 2025 Rugby World Cup, where they beat Wales but lost to Scotland.

He was interviewed for the Scotland head coach’s role following the departure of Bryan Easson but the job went to Sione Fukofuka. Nevertheless, Cunningham impressed enough to be offered a role and takes on the newly created position of senior assistant coach, working alongside Fukofuka, an Australian who previously coached the USA.

‘There to support Sione’

“I'm looking after mostly the defensive side of the game, just sharing a bit of work around some of the exit areas and attack close to the try line,” said Cunningham. “But I'm there to support Sione in what's needed with regards to structures, programmes or any environmental work or cultural work. I'm just there to help and support as best as I can.”

Cunningham left his post as Wales head coach in November 2024 after leading them to their best finish in the Six Nations for 13 years and the 2021 World Cup quarter-finals. However, results took a dip in his final year in charge and there was turbulence off the pitch involving a contract row with players, with claims that they were given a three-hour ultimatum to sign deals or face the termination of their positions.

Asked if he felt he had a point to prove on his return to Wales, Cunningham said: “No, not really. I think what happened has happened and we move on. I'm just looking forward to taking this team down there and getting the win hopefully.”

This year's Women's Six Nations will have its profile raised by having more matches played at national stadiums. Scotland will host England at Murrayfield in round two and, similarly, Wales will face Scotland at the Principality. The match will have a special resonance for Cunningham who played for Wales at age-grade level.

“It is one of the best stadiums in the world, so to have the opportunity to be there and to play in that stadium, I'm really looking forward to it,” he said. “It'll be great to see some people that I know very well and it'll be great to get one up on Wales.”

The target is three wins

Scotland won two matches in the championship last season, beating Wales and Ireland, and Cunningham said the target this time was to go one better.

“You want to get into that third spot, you want to get in that mix to get to the top two. To get to that position obviously requires you to get a minimum of three wins, so we are obviously working hard towards that. We've got England coming to Edinburgh, we're really looking forward to that challenge and who knows, the year after the World Cup, things change.”

Cunningham also revealed that he was approached to play for Scotland at under-21 level.

“My grandfather was from Kilmarnock,” he said. “I had an opportunity to play for Scotland under-21s when I was 19, but I decided to stay with Wales. So this is a bit of a personal thing for me and I'm super proud for this opportunity to work for Scotland. I'm just really looking forward to that first match and the anthem, really, if I'm honest.”