Scotland’s women entered the Six Nations riding the momentum of a historic World Cup run that saw them reach the quarter‑finals, beating Wales and Fiji. Now a new coaching set‑up under Sione Fukofuka and a wave of fresh caps face a harsh reality test. An opening win in Cardiff was followed by an 84‑7 drubbing by England and a 41‑14 loss in Italy, exposing the scale of the rebuild.

Fukofuka admits the squad’s depth was stretched by injuries. Centre Emma Orr fell in the first match and missed the rest of the tournament, while captain Rachel Malcolm, Rachel McLachlan and Lana Skeldon also went down, and veteran Lisa Thomson remains sidelined after Achilles surgery. The resulting match‑day 23 contained ten players with 10 caps or fewer, and only six with more than 30 Test appearances.

Facing a formidable French side next, Fukofuka sees the ordeal as a forced apprenticeship for the newcomers. He stresses that early exposure to high‑level opposition will give the cohort valuable experience before the next World Cup cycle, which targets 2029. Scotland’s immediate challenge is to survive the Six Nations while forging a core that can compete on the world stage.