Scotland captain returns from injury as interim head coach names squad for WXV Series

Captain Rachel Malcolm returns from injury having missed the final three matches of their 2026 Women’s Six Nations campaign. Also returning from absences are Anne Young, Evie Gallagher and Sarah Bonar who have all also overcome injury issues.

Four uncapped players have been selected including Glasgow Warriors players Imogen Spence, Ceitidh Ainsworth and Nicole Flynn. Winger Katie Buchanan of Exeter Chiefs, who is eligible to represent Scotland through her grandmother, is the fourth uncapped player in a squad made up of 18 forwards and 14 backs.

However, they are set to be without three important players for the first part of the Series. Francesca McGhie, Lisa Thomson and Emily Coubrough are unavailable for selection for the upcoming home fixtures due to injury.

Scotland will face Canada, New Zealand and Australia at the Hive in September before heading Down Under for a double header against the Wallaroos in October. Butcher, who most recently worked as the team’s forwards coach, will step into the role of head coach after Sione Fukofuka stepped down from the role earlier this week citing family reasons.

Further changes to the coaching set up where also confirmed following the news that the Australian would be leaving. Assistant coach Ioan Cunningham also left his role while Chris Laidlaw and Tom Luke were appointed as replacements.

Luke joins Scotland Women from PWR club Bristol Bears on secondment for the WXV Global Series only, while Laidlaw will initially join on secondment from Harlequins in August before returning to the London club and later joining Scotland’s coaching staff on a permanent basis. It is a return to Scotland for Laidlaw, who previously served as the first-ever head coach of Glasgow Warriors Women's team in the Celtic Challenge and as assistant coach with the women’s national team during the 2023 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Laidlaw’s previous roles also include serving as one of Scottish Rugby’s Performance Development coach in the women’s game and as interim head coach of Scotland Women 7s in 2021, where he led the side to their first-ever Commonwealth Games qualification. Luke has been in post as Assistant Coach at Bristol Bears Women since 2021, having previously held the Head Coach role at Thornbury RFC as well as Head of Rugby at St Bede’s Catholic College.

As well as their coaching experience, both Laidlaw and Luke enjoyed their own playing careers. Laidlaw is a former Scotland Club XV international while Luke represented Cornish Pirates and Doncaster Knights.

Scotland WXV Series squad

Forwards: Leah Bartlett – Sale Sharks, Holland Bogan – Glasgow Warriors, Sarah Bonar – Harlequins, Hollie Cunningham – Bristol Bears, Elliann Clarke – Glasgow Warriors, Eva Donaldson – Sale Sharks, Evie Gallagher – Bristol Bears, Rachel Malcolm – Captain – Trailfinders Women, Elis Martin – Edinburgh Rugby, Rachel McLachlan – Montpellier, Molly Poolman – Edinburgh Rugby, Imogen Spence – Glasgow Warriors, Lana Skeldon – Bristol Bears, Alex Stewart – Edinburgh Rugby, Aicha Sutcliffe – Glasgow Warriors, Demi Swann – Exeter Chiefs, Emma Wassell – Trailfinders Women, Anne Young – Glasgow Warriors.

Backs: Ceitidh Ainsworth – Glasgow Warriors, Leia Brebner-Holden – Edinburgh Rugby, Katie Buchanan – Exeter Chiefs, Shona Campbell – Sale Sharks, Rhea Clarke – Glasgow Warriors, Nicole Flynn – Glasgow Warriors, Rhona Lloyd – Sale Sharks, Helen Nelson – Trailfinders Women, Rachel Philipps – Edinburgh Rugby, Hannah Ramsay – Edinburgh Rugby, Chloe Rollie – Edinburgh Rugby, Lucia Scott – Glasgow Warriors, Meryl Smith – Bristol Bears, Evie Wills – Glasgow Warriors.

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