Celtic Challenge 2025/26: Round 2 wrapped up

A festive weekend of Celtic Challenge derby fixtures kicked off at the weekend when the Scottish and Welsh teams met.

There is still one contest to come in Round 2 when Clovers host Wolfhounds at Galway’s Creggs this Saturday afternoon to see in 2026.

Both Edinburgh Rugby and Gwalia Lightning registered their first wins of the campaign in fiery local derbies.

Here is a look at what happened in Round 2 of the 2025/26 Celtic Challenge season.

Edinburgh Rugby 31-25 Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow Warriors were unable to back up their Round 1 win against Edinburgh Rugby at Hive Stadium.

It was a highly competitive clash in the Scottish capital, where Edinburgh had to complete a comeback in the second half to register victory.

To have the half-time lead, Glasgow’s Beth Blacklock opened the scoring and saw her efforts doubled when Hannah Smyth found space out wide to dot down.

In a volley of try-scoring action Aila Ronald struck for Edinburgh and Sky Phimister flew through for Warriors.

On the stroke of half-time Molly Poolman, along with a Hannah Ramsay conversion, meant that Edinburgh trailed by a point at the break.

To take a tight grasp of the contest, Hannah Walker handed Edinburgh the lead with her effort. In the minutes that followed Cieron Bell and replacement full-back Nicole Marlow contributed to the final tally of Claire Cruikshank’s team.

Quelled for much of the second half, Glasgow bagged a try scoring bonus point and losing bonus points thanks to a Holland Bogan brace in the final 15 minutes.

Gwalia Lightning 38-7 Brython Thunder

Cardiff Arms Park was the venue of Gwalia Lightning’s dominant win over Brython Thunder.

Beaten by Clovers a week prior, Lightning had secured a try scoring bonus point in the first half of the contest.

It took just four minutes for Gwalia to open the scoring after Kelsie Webster crashed over in the corner and doubled her team’s lead shortly afterward as the hosts continued to build pressure.

Thunder did hit back through Gabby Healen, although the centre‘s score proved to be her team’s sole effort of the afternoon. To take a commanding lead ahead of half-time eventual Player of the Match, Alaw Pyrs, and Great Britain Sevens flyer Nia Fajeyisan raced in from halfway.

After the break it was a less free-flowing affair. A lengthy Fejeyisan break ended in Molly Reardon’s score and Lightning skipper Bryonie King registered the final score of the contest.

Two matches in and Gwalia head coach, Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin, can be very pleased with her team’s exploits.

Having picked up two bonus points in defeat last time out, and now a full five point haul, you can firmly say that Lightning have set the wheels in motion for a strong season.