Sione Fukofuka has been appointed Australia women’s head coach just eight days after leaving the same role with Scotland when he was released from that contract due to family and personal reasons.
Australian Fukofuka took up the Scotland head coaching position in late 2025 and led them into the Women’s Six Nations earlier this year. During an injury hit campaign, the team won just one match versus Wales and finished fifth in the standings.
Last Monday, Scottish Rugby said he was leaving his role and, at that time, he said it was “probably the hardest professional decision of my life”.
Then yesterday, Rugby Australia announced that he would be taking over as their head coach from 2027 through to the end of their home Rugby World Cup in 2029.
Fukofuka said: “I would like to express my gratitude to Scottish Rugby for their understanding of my family situation and desire to return home to Australia.
“Although a difficult decision to leave the Scottish role, this opportunity allows me to be in Sydney closer to my family. I wish the players and staff all the best for the future.
“I know many of the Australia players and coaches well from my time in the Queensland and Australian systems and, as we transition to a full-time programme this year, the opportunity for growth is enormous.
“The opportunity to align the sevens and XVs programmes and work closely with Reg Tayler is an exciting prospect and one I am very much looking forward to.”
He will commence work with Rugby Australia in early 2027 and and report to Tim Walsh, Rugby Australia’s director of women’s high performance.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh stated: “An enormous amount of planning and effort has gone into remodelling and invigorating the Wallaroos programme as we look towards the home Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2029 and we are delighted Sione will lead the squad through this important phase in the position of head coach.
“Sione is a leader with a comprehensive knowledge of Australian and international systems and a reputation for creating world class team environments and standards. He also has a strong relationship with Tim Walsh and is respected across Australian rugby for his previous work with Queensland, the Australian Sevens and Wallaroos programmes.
A Scottish Rugby spokesman said: “This is an unusual situation in so far as we released Sione on compassionate grounds a week ago and, whilst we always expected Sione to work again and would never wish to hold anyone back, we were surprised to learn of this news so quickly.
“We have a release agreement in place with Sione which will allow him to take up his post at the start of 2027 and an agreement in place with Rugby Australia who will pay Scottish Rugby an agreed fee.
“Our focus is on our new coaching team and our national team ahead of the WXV Global Series where preparations are going well.”
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 against the 2025 Rugby World Cup runners-up Canada on September 12 at Hive Stadium 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.
Sione Fukofuka is pictured – thanks to ST Photography
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