Scotland women’s rugby contracts expanded as SRU outlines new hub and leadership; no apology for pre-World Cup disruption

Scottish Rugby said it will increase the number of contracted players for the Scotland women’s team to 35 for the coming season, up from 32, as part of an expanded plan to invest in the program ahead of future cycles. The governing body also announced that 22 players from the World Cup squad have renewed their contracts, with 17 of those continuing under financial support arrangements to play clubs in England and France.

Additionally, 18 players will be supported from Oriam in Edinburgh, creating a new centralised performance hub in Scotland. The organization said it would also appoint a new managing director of women’s rugby and a new head of women and girls’ performance pathways as part of its plan to deepen resources and structure.

CEO Alex Williamson declined to apologise for disruption caused by contract negotiations that took place during World Cup preparations, saying the situation was "challenging" but necessary for the long-term development of the game. "We had an agreement with the players that we would work through the contract conversations in advance of the start of the World Cup camp," he said. "Emotions run high when decisions about the future of the game are being made, but we must keep the focus on building a stronger, more sustainable structure for the women’s program."

Williamson described the period as unusual and said the conversations took place in a single environment with those involved. "Those who received good or less good news were all in the same environment at the same time," he said. "We recognised there are different needs for different players. But, obviously, our longer-term ambition is to run a high-performance environment in Scotland."

Jade Konkel, who was not offered a contract, said the negotiations amounted to "a six-minute conversation" after 13 years of service and described the process as disruptive, telling reporters that the team reached the quarter-finals "through no help of the SRU."

Captain Rachel Malcolm admitted the contract process had caused disruption to the team’s World Cup preparations, saying there had been a "lot of noise" around negotiations that affected the squad’s focus.

Performance director David Nucifora said Konkel’s case was "handled the best way possible" and argued that the time required to tell players about contracts cannot be easily measured in minutes, noting it was a difficult decision under the circumstances.

Williamson said all contracts would be for one year and that the group is in a transition toward a higher-performance environment, with different players having different needs while the pathway for future growth remains the priority.

Scottish Rugby also announced it will recruit a new women’s head coach after the departure of Bryan Easson, with Nucifora saying there has been "a lot of interest" in the role and that the successful candidate would have experience in the women’s game and the drive to advance the program.

In a World Cup that ended in the quarter-finals, Scotland defeated Fiji and earlier beat Wales, where Francesa McGhie scored a hat-trick. The team’s overall arc has been defined by developing a pathway in which players can compete at the highest levels, including opportunities to play abroad.

SRU officials stressed that the investment in women’s rugby is part of a broader strategic push, aimed at creating a sustainable high-performance system in Scotland and producing a pipeline of talent for the national team. They declined to disclose exact contract values or the overall level of investment.