Sione Fukofuka explains Scotland Six Nations team selection in new era for women's team

It’s Fukofuka’s first game in charge, the Australian having taken over from Bryan Easson who stepped away after last year’s Rugby World Cup.

He has big boots to fill; Easson led the team to the quarter-finals at the tournament in England in the autumn, Scotland’s best performance at the World Cup for 23 years. The campaign included a 38-8 win over Wales in the pool stage.

Fukofuka, who was previously head coach of the USA, has been impressed with what he’s seen of his new charges and has urged them to lean on traditional Scottish virtues.

“The team obviously had a fantastic World Cup, got through to the quarter-finals,” said Fukofuka. “There was some really positive play around their defensive mindset in particular, and obviously scored some great tries. So ideally for us, we'd lean into that Scottish attacking mentality. So we really want to play with a level of expansion and some skill set.

Embrace the thistle

“But on top of that, I guess the key focus for us is then play off a really strong platform and being able to be adaptable and play teams in different parts of the park.”

“We want their identity to be Scottish,” the coach added. “We want them to play to their strengths. We're really leaning into this understanding of what the thistle means, not just to this team but also to Scottish rugby. We want them to go out and compete and be that team that plays for 80 minutes and puts in strong performances.

“Regardless of results, if we can go out there and really push our processes and implement our game model, we're pretty confident that given the opportunity we'll be able to convert some of that into results at the end of the day.”

Fukofuka hasn’t strayed too far from the tried and tested in his first team selection but there is one uncapped player in his starting XV, with Edinburgh University and Glasgow Warriors’ Emily Coubrough getting the nod at No 8. Jake Konkel-Roberts retired after the World Cup and Evie Gallagher is out with a hamstring injury, so opportunity knocks for teenager Coubrough.

Asked why the 19-year-old stood out, Fukofuka said: “Emily's physicality, to be honest. She's come in and really thrown herself into that collision space in particular. We saw a lot of potential through the Celtic [Challenge] and we felt that with a little bit of guidance, a little bit of structure around her, there's an opportunity to allow her to play her natural game.

Captain to guide new cap

“The fact that [captain] Rachel Malcolm is right next to her is a big plus to that. Rachel spent the last week and a bit really working with her, giving her knowledge, but also the confidence to just go out there and play.”

There are also three potential debutantes on the bench, with the uncapped Exeter Chiefs prop Demi Swann, Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors back-five forward Holland Bogan and Glasgow Warriors/Hillhead Jordanhill scrum-half Rianna Darroch all named among the replacements.

Return of ‘tough little player’

“There's a lot of potential in there and obviously some learning to come, but they've come into this week and not let that lack of experience overawe them,” Fukofuka said of the uncapped players. “They've really bought into what we want to try and achieve as a team.”

There are also returns for Shona Campbell, who will start on the left wing and win her first cap since 2022, and Meryl Smith, who is selected at inside centre and is back in the national side after sustaining a knee injury in 2024.

Also back in the starting team is Alex Stewart who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease during last season’s Six Nations. The usually energetic back-rower had complained of lethargy and weight loss and had been restricted to a bench role. She admitted the diagnosis hit her hard but Fukofuka praised her character,

“A great human, really composed, really mature,” said the coach. “It was a tough year. We've had a few conversations in and around what she's had to adjust to in terms of the diagnosis and then how she deals and manages that.

“She was just saying the other day it just feels like a new step. She's a tough little player, plays above her weight, so giving her the opportunity to get out there against Wales is really exciting.”

How they’ll line up at the Principality Stadium

Wales v Scotland (Guinness Women’s Six Nations, Principality Stadium, Saturday, 4.40pm)

Wales: Kayleigh Powell; Seren Singleton, Carys Cox, Courtney Keight, Lisa Neumann; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Jorga Aiono, Gwen Crabb, Bethan Lewis, Kate Williams, Bryonie King. Replacements: Molly Reardon, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Alaw Pyrs, Georgia Evans, Branwen Metcalfe, Seren Lockwood, Hannah Dallavalle.

Scotland: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Meryl Smith, Shona Campbell; Helen Nelson, Leia Brebner-Holden; Leah Bartlett, Lana Skeldon, Elliann Clarke, Emma Wassell, Hollie Cunningham, Rachel Malcolm, Alex Stewart, Emily Coubrough. Replacements: Elis Martin, Demi Swann, Molly Poolman, Holland Bogan, Eva Donaldson, Rianna Darroch, Evie Wills, Lucia Scott.