Aicha Sutcliffe has been backed to make an impact when she makes her first start for the Scotland women’s team against Australia in Canberra on Friday in WXV Global Series action.
The 22-year-old hooker, who came through the ranks at Huntly, The Gordon Schools, Highland and Strathallan School before playing for Stirling County and Scotland age-grade teams and is now linked to Glasgow Warriors, has so far earned six full caps off the bench for her country.
Now cap number seven will be from the start at the GIO Stadium in the Australian capital (Friday, 9.30am UK time, live on RugbyPass TV) after impressing interim head coach Dave Butcher.
“Aicha is a young front-row and has still got a lot of learning to do, but she really has worked hard and deserves this chance,” Butcher said.
“I just want to give a bit of a shout out to 91-cap Lana Skeldon who didn’t get selected to start this week and is on the bench, but her first words to me after selection were ‘how do I help Aicha this week?’
“Between the three of us we have had a conversation about the difference between starting a game and coming in as an impact sub.
“Aicha’s got six caps under her belt now, but she’s never started a game so how does she manage herself if she has to start? Having a mentor like Lana Skeldon, that’s knowledge that you can’t just get from just anywhere.
“She will understand how to start this game and I am excited to see Aicha out there.
“Aicha could become, in my view, a very, very good international hooker with a world-class throw.
“This game is about building that bank of knowledge for her.”
As well as Sutcliffe, 90-cap full-back Chloe Rollie and 53-cap second-row Sarah Bonar come into the starting team while, in a midfield reshuffle, Hannah Ramsay starts at 10 and Helen Nelson is at 12.
Imogen Spence, a 19-year-old tighthead prop, and Nicole Flynn, a 21-year-old centre, could debut from the bench.
Scotland go into their last match of 2026 as big underdogs having lost to the Wallaroos twice in recent weeks while, in total, they have lost eight Test matches in a row.
Aicha Sutcliffe is pictured with a supporter at Hive Stadium last month – thanks to Scottish Rugby
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