Fukofuka names quartet of Scotland debutants for Wales clash

Sione Fukofuka has named four debutants in his first match day squad as Scotland coach for their Guinness Women’s Six Nations opener against Wales.

Loosehead prop Leah Bartlett will earn her 50th Test cap for Scotland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. There is also a starting debut at No. 8 for Glasgow Warriors’ Emily Coubrough.

Coubrough starts in the back-row with captain, Rachel Malcolm, and openside flanker Alex Stewart.

Shona Campbell earns her first cap since 2022 and is joined by her Sale Sharks teammate Rhona Lloyd in the back three. This season in Premiership Women’s Rugby the pair have combined for 19 tries.

In the centres it is an all-Bristol Bears combination as Meryl Smith – who makes her first Scotland appearance since the end of 2024 – partners club mate Emma Orr.

Helen Nelson starts at fly-half and is partnered by scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden.

Emma Wassell and Hollie Cunningham will combine in the second row. Cunningham missed the Women’s Rugby World Cup with an injury sustained in last year’s Women’s Six Nations.

There are three debutants on the bench. This includes maiden Test appearances for Exeter Chiefs’ Demi Swann, and Glasgow Warriors pair Holland Bogan and Rianna Darroch.

The two teams met at last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, where Scotland registered a 38-8 win in the opening match of Pool B.

Scotland match day squad v Wales

15 Chloe Rollie (81 caps)
14 Rhona Lloyd (62 caps)
13 Emma Orr (34 caps)
12 Meryl Smith (22 caps)
11 Shona Campbell (9 caps)
10 Helen Nelson (75 caps)
9 Leia Brebner-Holden (15 caps)
1 Leah Bartlett (49 caps)
2 Lana Skeldon (84 caps)
3 Elliann Clarke (24 caps)
4 Emma Wassell (72 caps)
5 Hollie Cunningham (2 caps)
6 Rachel Malcolm (Captain, 61 caps)
7 Alex Stewart (17 caps)
8 Emily Coubrough (Uncapped)

Replacements
16 Elis Martin (26 caps)
17 Demi Swann (uncapped)
18 Molly Poolman (7 caps)
19 Holland Bogan (Uncapped)
20 Eva Donaldson (21 caps)
21 Rianna Darroch (Uncapped)
22 Evie Wills (8 caps)
23 Lucia Scott (7 caps)