Scottish Women's Rugby Union
The Scottish Women's Rugby Union (SWRU) was the national governing body for women's rugby union in Scotland. It was responsible for the governance of women's rugby union within Scotland. Its role was all encompassing. It went from youth recruitment, through administrating all senior based (aged 16+) competition, through to the performance and management of the Scotland women's national rugby union team.
At their AGM in June 2009 the SWRU voted unanimously in favour of amalgamating the Scottish Rugby Union and the SWRU to form an integrated national governing body rugby in Scotland.[1]
Executive Board
The SWRU is led by a volunteer based Executive Board. Board members are elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at June each year. The posts are annual in nature with the exception of the Chairperson, whose post is held for 2 years. Board members have to be affiliated with a women's rugby union club.
NB. The Executive Board was renamed from the Executive Committee in the 2007 AGM.
Season 2007-2009
- Chairperson and Scottish Rugby Union Council - Sandra Kinnear, Lismore WRFC
- Vice-Chair - Rosy Hume, Murrayfield Wanderers WRFC
- Secretary - Kate Ho, Edinburgh University LRFC
- Domestic Fixtures Coordinator - Beth Dickens, Murrayfield Wanderers WRFC
- Historian and Veteran Representative - Kath Vass, Watsonians WRFC
- HE/FE Coordinator - Claire Fergusson, RHC Cougars
- Youth Coordinator - Louise Dalgeish, RHC Cougars
- Player Representative - Heather Lockhart, Hillhead Jordanhill WRFC
Season 2006-2007
- Chairperson and Scottish Rugby Union Council - Sandra Kinnear, Lismore WRFC
- Vice-Chair - Susan Young, Watsonians WRFC
- Secretary - Kate Ho, Edinburgh University LRFC
- Domestic Fixtures Coordinator - Beth Dickens, Murrayfield Wanderers WRFC
- International Fixtures Coordinator - Kath Vass, Watsonians WRFC
- Student's Representative - Anna Panayotopoulos, Edinburgh University LRFC
- Youth Fixtures Coordinator - Louise Dalgeish, Royal High Corstorphine WRFC
- Ordinary Member - Allan Douglas, Murrayfield Wanderers WRFC
Previous committee members
- Clare Murray, Secretary, 2004–2006
- Ali MacKenize, Treasurer, 2005–2006
- Lesley Robertson, Youth Coordinator, 2004-6
- Ainsley Rawlings, International Coordinator, 2002–2004
- Emma-Beth Wilson, Student's Representative, 2001–2003
- Sheena Buchan, Treasurer, 2001–2002
- Fiona Shanks, Student's Representative, 2000–2001
Full time staff
In addition to the volunteer Executive Board, three full-time staff based at the Scottish Rugby Union assists with the planning and delivery of the women's rugby union programme throughout Scotland. From 2001 to 2005 only 2 posts existed, the Women's Administration Manager and the Girls Development Officer. As of late 2005, in conjunction with the Scottish Rugby Union, the two posts were re-purposed, with another one created as a result. The new staffing structure consisted of a Community Manager, a Performance Development Manager (responsible for the performance pathways programme) and a Women's Development Officer (responsible for Youth and Senior rugby).
Current full time staff
- Jo Wells, Women's Community Manager, appointed July 2006–present
- Jo Hull, National Performance Development Manager (women's), appointed Jan 2006–present
- Car Stevenson, Women's Development Officer, appointed 2008–present
Previous full time staff
- Barbara Wilson, First SWRU Administration Manager, 2001–2006
- Beth MacLeod, First SWRU Girls Development Manager, 2001–2005
- Claire Cruikshank, Youth Development Administrator, 2004–2006
National Competitions
As of season 2010 - 2011, there are four divisions within the Scottish league: Premier League 1, Premier League 2, National League and the National Development League.
Premier League 1
Premier League consists of 6 clubs (in alphabetical order):
- Edinburgh University
- University of Dundee
- Hillhead/Jordanhill
- Murrayfield Wanderers
- Royal High Corstorphine
- Watsonians
Premier League 2
Premier League 2 consists of 6 clubs (in alphabetical order):
- Aberdeenshire Quines
- Cartha Queen's Park
- Glasgow University
- Kirkcaldy
- Melrose
- Morgan
National League
The National League consists of 8 clubs (in alphabetical order):
- Broughton
- Edinburgh University 2nds
- Grangemouth ()
- Lismore
- Oban Lorne
- Royal Dick Veterinary College
- Saints, The (Madras College FP RFC)
- Stirling County
National Development League
The National Development League (NDL) consists of a number of clubs which include (in alphabetical order):
- Berwick
- Lasswade
- Stirling University
- Strathaven
- Strathclyde University
National 7s competition
Annually, there is a National 7s competition traditionally held on the first weekend of May. For the previous five years, it has been held at Portobello Rugby Club in Edinburgh. The normal format is for teams to be split into two pools, with semi-finalists chosen through the top 2 winners of the pools.
Scottish Universities Championship
The Scottish Universities Championship is not run by the SWRU, instead it is administered by the British University and Colleges Sport.
Winners:
- 2008 - 2009 : University of St Andrews
- 2007 - 2008 : Glasgow University
- 2006 - 2007 : Edinburgh University
- 2005 - 2006 : Edinburgh University
Representative Rugby
In the season 2006-7, there are 4 tiers of women's representative teams, in order:
- Scotland Women's, the national team
- Scotland Women's Development, a development team which acts as a feeder to the national team
- Scotland Academy, a squad consisting of HE/FE players which attend a number of skills clinics
- Scotland U18s, the Under 18s team
These teams are run and managed by the SWRU.
References
- "Women vote to join up with the SRU". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2015.