Ex-Howe of Fife tighthead prop Molly Poolman named in new Scottish women’s national rugby team head coach Sione Fukofuka’s first squad
Former Howe of Fife tighthead prop Molly Poolman has been named in new Scottish female national rugby team head coach Sione Fukofuka’s first squad ahead of this year’s Women’s Six Nations.
The Perth-born 21-year-old, now at Edinburgh, is one of 21 forwards in the Australian 41-year-old’s inaugural squad of 38, accompanied by 17 backs and Bristol Bears hooker Skeldon, 32, is among 21 forwards.
She’s currently on seven caps, all from the bench.
Poolman’s fellow forwards are captain Rachel Malcolm, Leah Bartlett, Holland Bogan, Becky Boyd, Elliann Clarke, Emily Coubrough, Hollie Cunningham, Eva Donaldson, Poppy Fletcher, Evie Gallagher, Elis Martin, Rachel McLachlan, Louise McMillan, Lana Skeldon, Aila Ronald, Imogen Spence, Alex Stewart, Aicha Sutcliffe, Emma Wassell and Anne Young.
Ceitidh Ainsworth, Leia Brebner-Holden, Shona Campbell, Rhea Clarke, Rianna Darroch, Coreen Grant, Rhona Lloyd, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Emma Orr, Rachel Philipps, Hannah Ramsay, Lucia Scott, Meryl Smith, Hannah Walker, Chloe Rollie and Evie Wills are the backs called up.
Fukofuka’s squad will assemble at Edinburgh’s Oriam on Tuesday, March 31, to begin preparing for the championship.
They kick off away to Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, April 11; host England on Saturday, April 18, at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium; travel to Parma to take on Italy seven days later; play France at home on Saturday, May 9; and sign off away to Ireland in Dublin at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, May 17.
Fukofuka’s Scots go into the tournament hoping for their first finish in the top half of the table since 2005, having finished second from bottom last year on nine points from five fixtures under his predecessor, Bryan Easson.
“Everything that we’ve spoken about is around accelerating,” said the Australian, 41. “How do we help improve the programme from where it was to where it could be?
“At the 2025 world cup, the team went through pool games, got to a quarter-final and ran into a very good English team and didn’t advance beyond, so I think it would be natural to assume then that our target for 2029 is bare minimum to make a quarter-final but then be in a position to compete for a semi-final.
“With the resource and the opportunity to work within the programme for that four years, I think that’s a goal that’s well within our grasp, and then performances at the tournament will dictate whether or not we’re good enough to go beyond that.
“In terms of Six Nations, we’re clearly aspirational to be a team that compete in a top-three position.
“We feel like we have the playing group and we have now the staff that will allow us to prepare the team well.”