Shona Mackenzie and Olivia Woodley have been named the co-captains of Stornoway women’s rugby team heading into 2026/27 and they and their team mates are excited that the club will be playing in the Caledonia Aspiring Series after a break from competitive fixtures.
Women’s rugby has been on the go at Stornoway since 2017, but in recent years they have not always had enough players to put out their own squad.
As a result, players have sometimes turned out for other clubs to get game time, but now Stornoway are hopeful that they will be able to fulfil all of their Caledonia Aspiring Series fixtures in the coming months and build from there.
The Aspiring Series is for developing teams on the up and Mackenzie said: “I joined the club in 2023 and I have seen the women’s team go through some big changes even in that time.
“My first game was many of my team mates’ last as some of the founding members of the section hung up their boots and got ready to enjoy a well-earned retirement.
“Since then, we have been trying to build things back from the ground up and a lot of people have been working hard to make that happen.”
Woodley, who is one of the most experienced players in the squad, added: “We played in a number of seven tournaments over the summer to try and get some hype back around the team after so many years without league games.
“It’s hard to keep excitement going without games to aim for so sevens was the perfect thing at the perfect time and the tournaments were also good for Aspiring Series preparations as we had never played as a team before given the big turnover of players.
“Compared to some of the teams we come up against, we have a lot of geographical factors that go against us. Some players travel a fair distance to get to training, never mind the distance we have to travel to get to a game and all the logistics and expenses that go with that.
“However, players with no previous game experience really flourished and rose to the challenge in the summer sevens and it was really rewarding to see everyone’s hard work come together.
“We would just love for more people to see what an amazing, inclusive and positive sport this is. Our team is a real mixed bag of people of different ages and backgrounds, but it is a team for all.
“We also have a really promising mixed junior section at the club featuring a number of girls and we’ve done a few ‘Come and Try’ sessions with local schools and want to keep building on that.”
The Aspiring Series fixtures will give Stornoway a good structure around which they can mould their season.
They start away against Ross Sutherland/Lossiemouth at Ross Sutherland in early September and Mackenzie stated: “Everyone is very excited to get back on the pitch, especially in our own colours and being able to represent our own team.
“And, as we continue to grow, we have to give special thanks to our new coaches. Freshly retired from the club’s men’s or so they say, but not ready to leave the sport, Ruaraidh McLellan and David Maciver have been a big help in such a short space of time. They have led some of the best training sessions we have had in years and have given us so much useful feedback.
“They have so much experience in playing the game and, while coaching may be a new venture for them, the difference they’ve made already has really got us all feeling positive about what’s to come.
“From the very first training session, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such a welcoming community and team as here at Stornoway.
“After a hard day at work, training is usually exactly what you need to let off some steam, have a laugh and get your body moving. I’ve made some amazing memories with this team and hope to make many more.”
And Woodley concluded: “I’ve been a part of this club for nearly 10 years this February and it has given me some of the best moments, friendships and memories of my life.”
Women’s rugby is growing again at the Stornoway club – thanks to Stornoway for the photo
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