Rachel Philipps is feeling in a good place individually and is excited about what Scotland can do during the WXV Global Series.
Given that they have a tough schedule of matches coming up during September and October versus Canada, New Zealand and then Australia three times off the back of a frustrating one-win Women’s Six Nations and the fact that they have an interim head coach in post, you might think that the Scots would be daunted about what is to come.
However, the noises coming out of the camp in recent weeks have all been positive ahead of the WXV opener against third in the world Canada this coming Saturday at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh.
And, if the Six Nations as a whole was not a great success for Scotland under now former head coach Sione Fukofuka, one player who did make her mark was strong-running centre Philipps.
Before the round four clash with France in May, the Biggar, Edinburgh University and Watsonians product had only earned two caps off the bench and had missed the Rugby World Cup in 2025 due to a knee injury.
She made up for lost time when handed the number 13 shirt versus the French at the Hive, scoring two tries in an assured display and she then started against Ireland in round five at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
With Lisa Thomson still injured, Philipps, the qualified teacher who is now with Edinburgh Rugby after spending time with Sale Sharks, offers something different in attack for Scotland and is a decent defender.
She is definitely in with a shout to start against Canada and the four-cap 24-year-old said: “I feel in a good place heading into the season.
“I am now settled back up here living at home in Biggar and, with a Scottish Rugby contract this year, I feel like I can really get my head down and concentrate on doing my best for Scotland and Edinburgh.
“In recent years I have been in and around the international squad quite a lot, but have had to wait patiently for chances. The France game in the Six Nation was a special feeling because I was able to start and score tries.
“The edge attack that we had for that week was set up well and I really felt like I could bring hard-running lines to 13 during the game.
“Honestly, I find running a line sometimes more satisfying than scoring a try and thankfully that day I was able to do both and it gave me confidence moving forward in terms of what I can bring to the team.
“At the end of the Six Nations and moving back north, I was feeling good on and off the pitch.
“I still am and I want to do my bit for the team if selected during the WXV games.
“People will look at it and see that we are about to come up against some top teams, but as a player that is exciting and they are definitely the kind of matches you want to be a part of.
“Canada is a big game and they’re a highly thought of team first up, but I do think that we have been really building in this pre-season block and I honestly feel like we’re in a good place to put what we’ve been working on out at the Hive in this one and then build from there.”
So far, Philipps has earned one Scotland cap under Bryan Easson and three under Fukofuka and she will be hoping that cap five comes this weekend under interim head coach Dave Butcher.
With Fukofuka and senior assistant coach Ioan Cunningham leaving rather abruptly in the summer and Claire Cruikshank busy with other roles within Scottish Rugby, Butcher, who previously worked with Canada and was with the Scots as an assistant during the Six Nations, has had to bring in a whole new set of coaches to support him during WXV.
Chris Laidlaw, Tom Luke and Robbie Fergusson are backing him up as assistants just now and Philipps stated: “It’s been really good in the last few weeks, the coaches and players have all been really aligned.
“You can tell that the coaches have been really working together behind the scenes with Dave driving things to figure out what our game plan is going to be going forward.
“In camp we’ve been talking a lot about identity and what the key principles are for our team and what the coaches are after has been really easy to then get behind.
“And they’re also just lovely people which means that we can all have good conversations and work together to push this team forward.
“When I played for the under-20s and we went out to Italy, Chris coached us back then and I’m really grateful to have him in now as a defence coach here.
“Tom has been so helpful with our attack and looking at the shape we can play with to cause teams problems. We have some really good back three players so we have been working hard on getting the ball to them in space.
“And Robbie’s been really focused on the contact area and I think that’s a part of the game we can go after as a team and make strides in moving forward.”
Philipps was speaking as she and eight squad mates – Evie Gallagher, Anne Young, Elis Martin, Holland Bogan, Hollie Cunningham, Alex Stewarts 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.
“It was just so lovely visiting the school and the club,” she concluded.
“Having taught for a while before I played for Sale, it is always great seeing kids out there having fun and to get to have a runaround with the youngsters and see them really enjoying themselves was brilliant for us all to see.
“There are great pathways for girls playing rugby in Scotland now and long may that continue.”
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.
Rachel Philipps 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