Walker ready for Celtic Challenge season

The winger ended the 24/25 season as Edinburgh Rugby Player of the Season following a standout performance in the Celtic Challenge.

Walker said she is “definitely excited” to be leading the Edinburgh women this season and highlighted that it wouldn’t be a solo endeavour.

She said: “I like to lead by example, and I’ve got a lot of a good leadership team around me to help support that.”

Speaking on her decision to name Walker Captain, head coach Claire Cruikshank said: “She’s just growing and growing in confidence and when she speaks, she speaks well. She speaks at the right time and people listen.

“For her, it’s probably the next stage in her development, as well as how she can work with a leadership group and then work with her team to get her point across.”

Walker was part of the Scotland squad at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup held in England, and despite remaining uncapped, took lots from the experience that she hopes to bring into the Edinburgh team.

She said: “Getting to go and being in that environment with a lot of players to learn off of, especially the players in my position, I think that was a big learning for me.

“And then being able to actually just go and watch, and support the girls on game day, and the atmosphere of the actual World Cup was something that I’ve never really experienced before – having sold out crowds.

“I learned a lot that I could hopefully take home to Edinburgh this season.”

Outside of the Celtic Challenge period, Walker plays her rugby for The University of Edinburgh, where she is in her second year of a biomedical degree. She highlighted how being an SRU supported player helps her manage her academics alongside rugby: “Being supported, it’s helped me balance my university studies.

“And then having a specific training place out at Oriam…and having the support there has definitely brought on the level of rugby in Scotland.”

Ahead of Edinburgh’s first game of the season, which sees them face two-time title defenders Irish Wolfhounds away in Dublin this weekend, Walker highlighted the team’s areas of focus.

“Our key things are doing the simple things well, and the performance and result will come from that.

“Obviously, we know going to Ireland, away Wolfhounds will be challenging, but just doing what we can as the team and staying together.”

The game will kick off on Saturday December 20 at 14:30 at Energia Park and will be livestreamed on YouTube.