Orr returns as seven new players join Edinburgh Rugby Women

With players in Scotland now contracted directly to the professional clubs for the first time, Edinburgh have moved quickly to assemble a squad packed with international experience and homegrown talent ahead of next season’s Celtic Challenge.

Orr, who represented Edinburgh in the inaugural Celtic Challenge season in 2023, before making the move to Premiership Women’s Rugby with Bristol Bears, returns to the capital as one of Scotland’s standout performers.

Still only 23, the Biggar-born centre has established herself as a fixture in the Scotland midfield and arrives back in Edinburgh with more than 30 caps to her name.

She is joined by Scotland’s most-capped current international, full-back Chloe Rollie, who signs from French side Toulon Provence Méditerranée with more than 80 caps of Test experience – a marquee addition to the back-three.

Scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden makes her own return to the capital, having previously featured for Edinburgh in the Celtic Challenge before her spell at Loughborough Lightning.

She’s joined from Loughborough by hooker Elis Martin, a former Edinburgh University player who started throughout Scotland’s 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign.

Edinburgh-born winger and outside centre Coreen Grant arrives from Harlequins, while centre Rachel Phillips — capped by Scotland during the 2026 Six Nations — signs from Sale Sharks having spent time on loan at Edinburgh last season.

Completing the group is back-rower Emily Coubrough, who joins from Glasgow Warriors. Another former University of Edinburgh player, Coubrough made her Scotland debut against Wales in the 2026 Six Nations and featured four times across the Championship.

The seven new arrivals join an Edinburgh core of Alex Stewart, Hannah Walker, Hannah Ramsay, Molly Poolman, Merryn Gunderson, Aila Ronald and Rianna Darroch, alongside Academy contracted players Bethan Mathieson, Cat Moody, Faye Sutherland and Talei Tawake.