The days of men's rugby changing rooms being no-go-zones for women are a thing of the past, it seems.

 

Jules Maxton declared today that she is ready to make her mark in the men's game after being named head coach of Dalziel.

The 35-year-old has become only the second woman in Scotland to coach a men's senior first XV after being handed charge of the Motherwell-based outfit, which plays in the BT National League Three. Two years ago Ally Ratcliffe became head coach at Langholm and is now director of rugby at the Borders club.

Maxton, who until recently was Scotland Women's head coach, said: "I cannot wait to get started, it is an exciting new chapter in my coaching career.

"People may wonder about a woman coaching a men's team, but for me coaching is coaching and I have gained enough experience over the last decade to know what I want from my players and my team.

"It is a big challenge for me because I need to get to know the players quickly, find out the different characters in the group and then work hard to get us ready for the first competitive match of the season.

"However, it is a challenge I am relishing and since I was named head coach on Tuesday the feedback I have had from Dalziel players and members has been really great."

Indeed, Maxton hopes that her foray into the world of men's sport will give other female coaches the confidence to keep progressing and apply for positions.

"I think in general we have seen women's sport really grow in the last few years. There is still a long way to go, but the more girls we can get playing, coaching and involved as administrators in sport the better," she said.

Maxton is in fact no stranger to working with male players - when she was a player at Murrayfield Wanderers over a decade ago she coached the boys' team at Bellshill Academy, where she was teaching at the time - but giving team talks to a room full of grown men will be a step up.

After injury curtailed her playing career, in 2005/06 Maxton started coaching at Murrayfield Wanderers and by the following season was head coach of the women's team.

With Wanderers she has had great success and in 2014/15 led them to a league and cup double, leading to them being named BT Women's club of the season.

At national level she coached the Scotland Women development squad before taking on a role with Scotland Women Under-20.

In the summer of 2013 she was appointed Scotland Women's head coach and spent two years in the role until Shade Munro took up the post earlier this month.

"I have learnt a lot in every coaching post I have held to date and have worked with some great people and players," said Maxton, who now teaches at Cardinal Newman High School.

"Without doubt the time with Scotland Women was where I learnt the most. To be involved at an international level was something very special to me and although the results maybe did not go as we wanted them too I think the team made progress.

"I certainly made progress as a coach in the two years and I believe I learnt how to manage high pressure situations better.

"I would not change the last two years for the world and I wish Shade all the best in the role - he will certainly find a really hard-working bunch of girls to work with."

There have been some within the game who have said that Munro moving from assistant coach at Glasgow Warriors to head coach of Scotland Women is a step down.

Maxton for one disagrees and said: "How can coaching a national team be seen as a step down? The women's game in this country is improving all of the time with young talent continuing to come through and I think that Shade will enjoy helping them progress and then testing himself and the players in the Six Nations."

Due to her new commitments with Dalziel, Maxton has stepped down as head coach of Murrayfield Wanderers women's team after nearly a decade in the role with Rhona Shepherd and Allan Douglas taking charge.

On Dalziel's appointment of Maxton, club president Drew Moonie said: "When we were looking for a new head coach we had a number of good candidates come forward, but Jules was the most qualified and she really struck us with her enthusiasm and desire to help the club move forward.

"We only avoided relegation late on last season and we do not want to have to go through the same anguish again. With Jules at the helm we believe we can stabilise things and compete in the division.

"When we told the players about Jules' appointment the overall feedback was positive. We see it as an exciting move for Dalziel and an exciting move for Scottish rugby."