The Guinness Women’s Six Nations for 2025 was launched in London on March 7.
A Thames river cruise stopped in front of Tower Bridge to capture the occasion with the players and coaches before they met members of the media at Tobacco Dock.
Head coach Bryan Easson and vice-captain Helen Nelson represented Scotland at the event and their first match is on March 22 versus Wales at Hive Stadium.
The event is growing off the pitch all of the time while, on the pitch, the 2025 version of the tournament will be the first women’s competition to adopt the Global Law Trials being introduced across the game, together with technological innovations led by Six Nations Rugby designed to enhance the experience for fans, support match officials and prioritise player welfare.
These innovations include referees having the option to go ‘On Mic’ during fixtures to explain key decisions and outcomes for those in stadia as well as watching via broadcast coverage.
The variation on the 20-minute red card law trial will also appear in the event. The variation allows referees to award a full and permanent red card for deliberate and dangerous acts of foul play with technical offences benefiting from the 20-minute red card option to ensure the player is punished rather than the team during the match.
The event runs from March 22 until April 26 while, of course, there is then the small matter of a Rugby World Cup in England to come afterwards in August and September.
Tom Harrison, CEO of Six Nations Rugby, said: “The excitement leading into the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations reflects the significance of this year for the entire women’s game.
“The Championship is the biggest annual event in women’s rugby and this year the stage is set for the stars of the game to shine and inspire.
“More fans are tuning in to watch coverage of the fixtures, there is greater engagement across social and digital channels, and our unions and federations will host more fans at sold out venues over the coming weeks.
“The momentum the Women’s Six Nations is generating demonstrates our ambition to keep growing rugby’s reach, promote the game to make it relevant to a broader set of fans, with this year’s Championship a powerful first act for women’s rugby in 2025.”
Scotland will have three-day camps last week, this week and WC March 10 and then from WC March 17 it’ll be all eyes on – and full steam ahead – for the Six Nations 2025.
Scotland women’s training squad (number of caps in brackets, uncapped players in bold)
Forwards
Leah Bartlett – Leicester Tigers (38)
Christine Belisle – Loughborough Lightning (40)
Becky Boyd – Loughborough Lightning (uncapped)
Sarah Bonar – Harlequins (42)
Elliann Clarke – Bristol Bears (15)
Hollie Cunningham – Bristol Bears (uncapped)
Evie Gallagher – Bristol Bears (31)
Adelle Ferrie – Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars (uncapped)
Jade Konkel – Harlequins (66)
Rachel Malcolm – Loughborough Lightning (52, C)
Elis Martin – Loughborough Lightning (15)
Rachel McLachlan – Montpellier (46)
Aila Ronald – Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh (uncapped)
Molly Poolman – Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonians (uncapped)
Lana Skeldon – Bristol Bears (74)
Alex Stewart – Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars (8)
Anne Young – Loughborough Lightning (15)
Molly Wright – Sale Sharks (23)
Backs
Leia Brebner-Holden – Loughborough Lightning (5)
Beth Blacklock – Saracens (3)
Rhea Clarke – Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh (uncapped)
Rhona Lloyd – Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais (52)
Caity Mattinson – Trailfinders Women (27)
Francesca McGhie – Leicester Tigers (17)
Liz Musgrove – Trailfinders Women (18)
Helen Nelson – Loughborough Lightning (65, V-C)
Rachel Philipps – Sale Sharks – (uncapped)
Chloe Rollie – Trailfinders Women (70)
Lucia Scott – Edinburgh Rugby/Gloucester-Hartpury (3)
Emma Orr – Bristol Bears (24)
Lisa Thomson – Trailfinders Women (64)
Hannah Walker – Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh (uncapped)
Evie Wills – Leicester Tigers (3)
Meg Varley – Bristol Bears (uncapped)
Day trainers invited into camp to support their development (all uncapped)
Forwards
Talei Tawake – Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonians
Holland Bogan – Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County
Natasha Logan – Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh
Emily Coubrough – Glasgow Warriors/University of Edinburgh
Backs
Hannah Ramsay – Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh
Poppy Mellanby – Glasgow Warriors/Biggar
The players who were at the launch event are pictured
GH Media will be covering Scotland women’s journey right through to Rugby World Cup 2025, bringing insight from within the camp throughout and featuring other parts of the game in this country too – thanks to those already supporting the content, if you or your company would like to get involved please email gary@gh-media.co.uk