Sione Fukofuka’s first camp as Scotland head coach is complete as preparations for the upcoming Women’s Guinness Six Nations gather pace.
Earlier this week, 50 players in the wider squad – plus rehabbing quartet Sarah Bonar (back), Leia Brebner-Holden (shoulder), Francesca McGhie (shoulder) and Lisa Thomson (foot) and some other players – got a chance to make an early impression Fukofuka at Oriam, Scotland’s Performance Sports Centre, on the outskirts of Edinburgh for a few days.
Addressing the group in a team meeting at one stage during the week, Australian Fukofuka said: “For us to be successful, the components of it are sitting in this room.
“There are 57 players sitting here [in total 61 popped into camp at one stage or other]. Yes, there will be a few others outside that who will be coming in at different points in time, but the core group for Scotland women’s rugby to be successful over the next four years is right here, right now.
“And then the staff sitting in behind that, same thing. The people that you need to support you to be successful are here. And what we want to try and do is get this part right, get that consistency.
“You’ve had some fantastic performances of late such as getting to a quarter-final [of the World Cup last year] and competing with England. It was absolutely a great achievement, but hopefully you left with a little bit of unfinished business there.
“It’s the next step that we really want to push and accelerate towards now.”
The Six Nations begins on April 11 when Scotland are away to Wales.
- Club rugby in Scotland for 2026 gets underway from January 24 and 25 with the Celtic Challenge continuing too.
Sione Fukofuka is pictured in Scotland camp – thanks to Scottish Rugby