Dave Butcher appointed Scotland Women head coach despite run of defeats

Dave Butcher has been appointed permanent head coach of the Scotland Women national team despite losing five matches while in interim charge.

The squad have just returned from Australia where they lost twice in the WXV Global Series to the Wallaroos, in Canberra and Sydney. Those defeats followed three home reverses in the same competition, against Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

It means Scotland have now lost nine games in a row dating back to this year’s Six Nations when Sione Fukofuka was the head coach.

Dave Butcher has been appointed head coach of Scotland Women. | SNS Group / SRU

Nevertheless, Murrayfield chiefs have kept faith with Butcher, 50, who was Scotland forwards coach under Fukofuka and then promoted to interim boss when Fukofuka suddenly quit in August.

“I’m pleased to confirm Dave’s appointment as permanent head coach of Scotland Women,” said David Nucifora, Scottish Rugby’s performance director.

‘Strong technical knowledge’

“Dave brings valuable experience across the international men’s and women’s game, with strong technical knowledge and a clear understanding of the demands of rugby at the highest level.

“Throughout a thorough appointment process, Dave demonstrated the coaching and leadership qualities we believe are important in taking the national team forward. His experience and collaborative approach give us confidence in his ability to lead the team.

“We look forward to continuing to support Dave and developing the coaching team around him as we build on the foundations in place and work towards sustained progress.”

Scotland reached the quarter-finals of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup under Bryan Easson but have slipped down the rankings since Easson’s departure. They beat Wales in the opening game of the 2026 Six Nations under Fukofuka but have lost every game since.

They are now ranked 10th in the world, having been sixth this time last year.

In a statement, Scottish Rugby said that Butcher’s appointment followed “a thorough recruitment process”. It added: “Butcher was appointed to the role in recognition of his coaching quality, technical experience, understanding of the Scottish rugby landscape, alongside his vision for the long-term development of the programme.”

Long-term view

Butcher, who will be based in Scotland throughout his tenure, said: “It is fantastic to be named the head coach of Scotland Women. It is an amazing thing and group to be a part of.

“During my time in the role on an interim basis, I saw the work that was being done by Andy Rhys Jones and the vision from David Nucifora, and I knew I could add to it and wanted to be a part of driving that long-term.

“I’m really excited to be able to dive into the role beyond the recent campaign, focusing on the alignment of the programme and how we push forward performance from the National Talent Pathway, the National Academy, and the Celtic Challenge into the national team.

“We can’t be a standalone team without connection beneath us, so our immediate priority will be to review WXV and connect with the players, but going forward we want to be really intentional about how we go after our talent and how we develop that is going to be hugely important, with our rugby identity as a nation being key to all of that.”

Butcher, who spent his early years in Balloch before relocating to the north of England, represented Scotland at age grade level. He worked across performance and national age-grade programmes within the men’s pathway, including coaching Scotland U16s, U17s, the Scottish Development XV and working with the Scottish Qualified Programme, as well as leading talent identification programmes internationally.

Laidlaw joins permanently

His previous role before returning to Scottish Rugby earlier this year was as assistant coach (forwards) with Canada, Women’s World Cup finalists last year.

Scottish Rugby said it is now on the lookout for a full-time assistant coach (backs and attack) to work with Butcher. Chris Laidlaw has now joined permanently as assistant coach following his initial secondment during WXV.

Andy Rhys Jones, Scottish Rugby’s head of women’s performance and pathways, said: “I’m really pleased that Dave will lead Scotland Women as head coach on a permanent basis.

“Dave brings real quality as a coach, alongside the personal values and understanding of the culture needed to get the best out of players and staff. His approach to coaching and leadership will be important in driving the team forward.

“He understands the Scottish rugby landscape and the importance of working collaboratively across the national team and wider pathways system to support player development and prepare players to succeed at international level.

“Dave has a clear vision for Scotland Women and shares our ambition for the team. His appointment provides continuity and alignment as we work together to build a strong national team environment and achieve sustained progress and success.”