Dalgliesh appointed Edinburgh Rugby Women Head Coach

Dalgliesh joins from club partner The University of Edinburgh, where she has served as Head of Performance for Women’s Rugby. She takes over the reins from Claire Cruickshank, who was recently appointed as Scottish Rugby’s first Women’s National Academy Manager.

The 67-cap Scotland international arrives at a pivotal moment for the women’s team, who head into season four of the Celtic Challenge boasting a blend of exciting young talent and experienced internationalists.

Rising Scottish stars Alex Stewart, Molly Poolman, Hannah Ramsay and Hannah Walker will be joined by the recent return of internationalists Coreen Grant, Elis Martin, Chloe Rollie, Leia Brebner-Holden and Emma Orr.

Dalgliesh brings a wealth of experience and passion to the role, both as an international player and a rising force in coaching. She won 67 caps for Scotland and represented her country at the 2006 and 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cups, establishing herself as a respected figure on the field long before moving into coaching.

Following her playing career, Dalgliesh made a global impact on the touchline, coaching with the Japan national team at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 (played in 2022) in New Zealand. She then returned to the UK to join Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) side Sale Sharks, where she held the roles of Assistant Coach and U23 Performance Coach.

Last May, Dalgliesh was confirmed as Head Coach of the Scotland Women U20 programme ahead of the Six Nations Summer Series – a role in which she helped develop many of the same up-and-coming stars now emerging in the Edinburgh Rugby Women squad.

The appointment also marks something of a homecoming. Born and raised in Hawick, Dalgliesh spent more than a decade teaching at Knox Academy in Haddington, Ross High School in Tranent and Preston Lodge High School in Prestonpans, while her recent role with The University of Edinburgh has kept her firmly embedded in rugby in the capital.

Dalgliesh said: “This is a role I’m hugely proud to be stepping into. I’ve absolutely loved my time at The University of Edinburgh and taking on this position feels like a natural next step.

“I’ve been part of this city’s rugby fabric for a long time, in one way or another, and I already know so many of these players from BUCS and the national pathway. That gives me a real head start, but it also makes this exciting for a different reason – I get to keep building with players I’ve already seen grow.

“Women’s rugby is on the rise, and Edinburgh Rugby are right at the front of that push. I can’t wait to get started.”

Edinburgh Rugby Managing Director Douglas Struth said: “We’re really excited to appoint Louise. She brings a huge amount of experience across the international game, PWR, BUCS Super Rugby and the pathway here in Scotland, and she’s the right person to lead our women’s programme into this new era.

“This is a squad bursting with talent – young, up-and-coming players standing shoulder to shoulder with returning internationalists – and with attendances climbing at Hive Stadium, you can see for yourself that women’s rugby is very much on the rise in the Scottish capital.

“We’re hugely thankful to The University of Edinburgh for their support in this transition, and we can’t wait to welcome Louise to the club.”

Scottish Rugby’s Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways Andy Rhys-Jones added: “Following an extensive recruitment process, we are pleased to appoint Louise as Head Coach at Edinburgh Rugby.

“She is someone who brings an excellent blend of coaching expertise and a passion for developing players. Throughout her coaching career, she has demonstrated the ability to build high-performance environments while helping individuals reach their potential.

“Having worked across the international game, in PWR and across the pathways in Scotland, she has a great understanding of the landscape and the players who she will be working with at Edinburgh. Ahead of what will be an exciting Celtic Challenge season, with several new additions in the squad, we are excited to see the impact she will have at Edinburgh Rugby.”