Former Scotland caps Claire Cruikshank and Caity Mattinson have been praised for the coaching work they are doing with the senior national team squad and the under-21 squad respectively.
Cap number 72 Cruikshank, the current Edinburgh Rugby women’s head coach, is with Scotland set up for the whole Women’s Six Nations campaign as a skills coach working alongside head coach Sione Fukofuka and assistants Ioan Cunningham and Dave Butcher.
Mattinson, cap number 227 and also a former England international, retired after last year’s Rugby World Cup down south.
The scrum-half has taken on the role of skills coach and is assisting head coach Dalgleish with attack in the under-21s programme during their three-game Six Nations Series campaign. Matty Douglas and Ross Young are the other coaches involved in the age-grade programme.
Both teams have games on Saturday with the under-21s up first versus England at Hive Stadium (11am, live on YouTube) and then the senior squad taking on the Red Roses at Murrayfield (1.30pm, live on BBC).
On Cruikshank, Fukofuka said this week: “Claire’s been fantastic.
“She’s come in, she’s supporting the backs and done a little bit on transition and edge attack. Obviously, having worked in women’s rugby for years and in the Celtic Challenge she knows the players really well.
“Claire has been a great resource for myself and has been adding a real value to the coaching group in terms of balancing the backs and forwards.”
And, on Mattinson, Dalgliesh said this week: “Caity has been brilliant.
“I think in different coaching groups you always want to bring in different voices to check and challenge ideas.
“Having Caity on the grass having played for her country and retired so recently has been really proactive and her connection with the players is good. She is learning her craft in terms of coaching and being in this environment, but there’s no question that she’s a brilliant addition to the group.”
- Over 25,000 tickets have been sold for Scotland-England, join in the fun by getting tickets here – before the senior game at 1.30pm at Murrayfield the under-21 sides from both countries are meeting at Hive Stadium at 11am.
Claire Cruikshank and Caity Mattinson are pictured during Friday’s team runs – thanks to N50 Photography
The Women’s Six Nations is here and the 2026 event runs from April 11 to May 17 and, between April 6 and May 20, GH Media will be covering Scotland’s campaign and the wider tournament – keep an eye out for content and thanks to everyone who supports GH Media’s work within women’s rugby