Alex Stewart has had a very promising two and a half years in a Scotland shirt so far, but, still aged just 22, you feel the best is yet to come in dark blue from the pocket rocket openside and that is an exciting prospect.
It was March 2024 when Stewart, then 19, burst onto the international scene.
The player, who came through the ranks at Liberton High School, Lismore, Edinburgh Harlequins and Corstorphine Cougars and has also played for Edinburgh University, Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland age-grade sides, was handed a full debut away to Wales in that year’s Women’s Six Nations opener at Cardiff Arms Park by then head coach Bryan Easson.
And, barring a late yellow card, she was excellent on the day and tackled pretty much everything that moved as Scotland won 20-18.
Since then, she has featured in 20 of 26 Tests played by the team, was at the Rugby World Cup late last year and has become a key member of the group.
However, some niggling injuries at times and having to navigate being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease midway through the 2025 Six Nations have been challenging for her and it means that we may not have seen the very best of Stewart on a regular basis yet.
That is a positive thing for all Scotland supporters because what they have witnessed so far from the Edinburgh Rugby player has been good and, starting with the upcoming WXV Global Series fixtures, it might get even better.
“I’ve had a small injury recently, but that’s clearing up now and things are going really well,” the Scottish Rugby contracted player who is also completing a law degree part-time at Edinburgh University, said.
“Right now, I am feeling a lot happier within myself and I am feeling good physically and feeling in a good place in terms of managing my diabetes.
“I feel quite confident in myself just now that I would be able to go out there and perform at the highest level and that is a nice feeling.
“When I first came into Scotland camp in 2024, I was so young and it was all new to me, but since then I feel like I have learnt lots in every camp I have been a part of and I feel like I have grown as a person and a player.
“Getting the diabetes diagnosis and learning about everything that went with that last year was tricky, but I was proud of myself for managing that and then getting to the World Cup.
“There are good days and bad days living with diabetes, there is no getting away from that, but training in this type of [elite] environment helps and I am just enjoying being in with the girls as we build up to some big matches.
“The game of rugby is always changing, but I think there’s still a place in rugby for someone who works really hard and who tries to get to every breakdown and things like that.
“I think that style of play definitely fits how Scotland want to attack and how Scotland want to defend going forward and I’ll just do my best for the team whenever I am given a chance.”
Scotland’s first of five WXV games during this month and into October comes against world number three side Canada this coming Saturday at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh and, having come off the bench against them in the World Cup in Exeter 12 months ago, Stewart would love another shot at the same opponents.
“It will be a really big test, they obviously did really well to get to the World Cup final last year and these are the kind of matches you want to be involved in against strong opponents,” Stewart stated.
“I think there was a lot of belief when we played them in the pool stage of the World Cup that we could beat them. We obviously lost in the end [40-19], but we did well at times in the game and we definitely want to have a good crack at them again.
“And then to play New Zealand and then Australia three times will be really exciting.
“I think the girls are responding really well to a new system [under interim head coach Dave Butcher] and lots of detail.
“There has been a lot of information to take in over the last few weeks, but training has been going really well and we are all looking forward to playing some matches now.”
Stewart was speaking as she and eight squad mates – Evie Gallagher, Anne Young, Elis Martin, Holland Bogan, Hollie Cunningham, Rachel Philipps, Demi Swann and Aicha Sutcliffe – headed out into the community to deliver coaching sessions with enthusiastic young girls at Balfron High School and at Lenzie rugby club.
“We got to dip in and out of training sessions, interact with the girls and just see how excited they are about playing rugby,” Stewart explained.
“It reminded me of when I first fell in love with the sport. Back then Lisa Thomson came to my high school it got me really excited about rugby and I took it forward from there.
“Hopefully some of the girls we met at Balfron High School and at Lenzie rugby club are able to get along to the Hive for our three WXV home games this month because it is such a great feeling seeing the stadium busy and meeting all the supporters afterwards, especially the young fans.”
The upcoming home Vodafone Scotland WXV Series campaign – part of the wider WXV Global Series presented by Mitsubishi Electric featuring the top sides in the world – begins for Scotland, as mentioned, against Canada on Saturday at the Hive before welcoming New Zealand to these shores the following weekend on September 19 and then hosting Australia on September 26.
Scotland’s away WXV Global Series fixtures will take place against Australia on October 17 and October 23.
Alex Stewart is pictured at Balfron High School – thanks to Scottish Rugby
It is shaping up to be an exciting 2026/27 season for women’s rugby in Scotland and GH Media will be covering it in detail – if any companies are keen to support this content please send an email to gary@gh-media.co.uk