New Scotland forwards coach Dave Butcher says that this is the closest-knit squad he has ever worked with and he hopes that unity can help the team kick off their Women’s Six Nations campaign with a bang this weekend.
On Thursday afternoon head coach Sione Fukofuka will name the matchday 23 for the tournament opener away to Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.
And Butcher, Fukofuka and senior assistant coach Ioan Cunningham have been blown away by the togetherness in the playing group since they took over the programme earlier in the year.
Butcher, a former Scotland age-grade cap who grew up in Middlesbrough and has played and coached in a number of different places around the world in recent years, was most recently working with the Canada women’s team and helped get them to last year’s Rugby World Cup final in England.
That Canada squad is well known for its closeness, but 49-year-old Butcher, who has strong family ties to Balloch, believes this Scotland group is even tighter.
“I knew the Scotland squad from the outside really well before I came in and obviously analysed them a lot moving into the World Cup last year as we were playing them with Canada, but now being in with the group I think what has surprised me is just how tight-knit they are,” Butcher, who previously worked for Scottish Rugby for eight years in other roles, said.
“They’re such a tight-knit team, more so than I really gave them credit for from the outside.
“There are no cliques, they’re all kind of one team which is great to see. You very rarely see that in a team, you usually see little offshoots, but if I had to take something away from my first period of time with the squad it would be that I have really, really enjoyed how tight they are as a team.
“It’s put a smile on my face watching them integrate. Watching how they all operate, there’s lots of laughing going on and smiles and things like that and I think that is always great to see.
“Obviously, they work extremely hard on the pitch, but the off the pitch piece is important too and I always think that is a barometer of a good team. If you’ve got that work rate and you are also able to laugh and joke together like best friends would do then I think you’re in a really, really good place.
“I am looking forward to seeing how the team goes in Cardiff.”
Dave Butcher, right, is pictured alongside fellow Scotland coaches Ioan Cunningham and Sione Fukofuka – thanks to Scottish Rugby
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