Dave Butcher takes charge of Scotland Women as coaching setup evolves

Scottish Rugby have confirmed that Dave Butcher will take on their women’s head coaching role on a full-time basis after he led the team at WXV Global Series.

Butcher only joined the team at the start of 2026 as an assistant coach under Sione Fukofuka. Upon the Australian’s departure from the setup, Butcher was appointed interim head coach during their winless autumn.

He arrived back at Scottish Rugby after he had helped coach Canada to the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. He had previously worked for the union in the age-grade and development setups.

In his five WXV Global Series fixtures in charge, Scotland and Butcher were unable to pick up a win. This included defeats against Canada and the Black Ferns, as well as three losses to the Wallaroos.

Butcher said: “It is fantastic to be named the head coach of Scotland Women. It is an amazing thing and group to be a part of.

“During my time in the role on an interim basis, I saw the work that was being done by Andy Rhys Jones and the vision from David Nucifora, and I knew I could add to it and wanted to be a part of driving that long-term.

“I’m really excited to be able to dive into the role beyond the recent campaign, focusing on the alignment of the programme and how we push forward performance from the National Talent Pathway, the National Academy, and the Celtic Challenge into the national team.

“We can’t be a standalone team without connection beneath us, so our immediate priority will be to review WXV and connect with the players, but going forward we want to be really intentional about how we go after our talent and how we develop that is going to be hugely important, with our rugby identity as a nation being key to all of that.”

Butcher’s coaching staff has already begun to take shape. Chris Laidlaw has officially joined the union after his secondment from Harlequins ended.

The union have also begun the process to recruit a full-time backs and attack coach. Bristol Bears assistant Tom Luke held the role on secondment in WXV Global Series.

Andy Rhys Jones, Scottish Rugby Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways, said: “I’m really pleased that Dave will lead Scotland Women as Head Coach on a permanent basis.

“Dave brings real quality as a coach, alongside the personal values and understanding of the culture needed to get the best out of players and staff. His approach to coaching and leadership will be important in driving the team forward.

“He understands the Scottish rugby landscape and the importance of working collaboratively across the national team and wider pathways system to support player development and prepare players to succeed at international level.

“Dave has a clear vision for Scotland Women and shares our ambition for the team. His appointment provides continuity and alignment as we work together to build a strong national team environment and achieve sustained progress and success.”