SCOTT WIGHT has been confirmed as the new head coach for Scotland Women 7s.
Wight, from Melrose, is the co-captain of Scotland 7s and will bring experience from six seasons playing professional and international rugby to the role.
Wight joined Glasgow Warriors from BT Premiership side Melrose in 2011 before earning his first Scotland 7s cap in 2014.
He has captained the side for the past two seasons and led them to their first tournament win on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series circuit in London last year.
The 31-year-old also competed in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Wight has selected an extended squad to attend the first Scotland Women’s 7s training camp under his charge this weekend (April 29-30) at Scotland’s sports performance centre, Oriam.
Wight will then play in the last two legs of the World Series before focusing on coaching Scotland Women 7s this summer.
He said: “This is a massive opportunity for my own personal development during Scotland 7s off season and get on the coaching ladder.
“To lead a national programme and put into practice my experience from the UKCC Level 3 course and Scotland 7s was too good to turn down.
“We’re aiming to win the Rugby Europe Women’s Sevens Trophy to gain promotion to the Rugby Europe Grand Prix competition, so there is a lot of hard work to be done between now and the two tournaments in June and July.
“I’m excited about coaching this group and helping the squad reach their full potential in the sevens game. I met a lot of the squad during the Six Nations and there are some really talented players.”
Scotland Women 7s finished third in the Rugby Europe Women’s Sevens Trophy last year.
They will play in two warm-up tournaments before the first Rugby Europe leg in Czech Republic on June 10-11. The squad will travel to Hungary for the second and final leg on July 22-23.
Head of Women’s & Girls’ Rugby, Sheila Begbie, said: “I’m delighted Scott has come on board to coach Scotland Women 7s this summer.
“He’s a fantastic sevens player and role model for the squad, who I’m sure will excel under his coaching.
“Gaining promotion to the Rugby Europe Grand Prix is very much the focus. Yes, it is a challenge but one I’m sure Scott and the players will rise too.”
Having missed out on a place at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland, the focus is firmly on lifting the performance of Scotland Women 7s as part of the national strategy to develop women’s rugby in Scotland.
Promotion to the Grand Prix will put the side a step closer to the long-term strategic aims of qualifying for the HSBC World Rugby Seven’s Series and the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
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