Making Moves: From Club to Camp

In mid-January players convened for Scotland Women’s first training camp of the year. This camp represented the first sessions under leadership of new Head Coach Sione Fukofuka. 

The training group was a diverse blend of experience and emerging talent, with players drawn from the Celtic Challenge, the PWR and the French Elite leagues. 

As women’s rugby in Scotland moves into a new era, take a closer look at the pathways of those in camp, tracing the determination and grassroots hard work that paved the way from local clubs to the national stage. 

Helen Nelson 

Helen Nelson’s journey to the top of the Scottish game is a masterclass in athletic versatility. Growing up in the Highlands, her first introduction to rugby came at the age of six with Lochaber Rugby Club. A natural athlete, she balanced her early rugby with shinty in Ballachulish and a three-year stint on the Scottish Alpine Ski Team, experiences she often credits for the agility and tactical coolness she now displays in national rugby team. 

Her pathway through the Scottish system continued at Edinburgh University, where she balanced a degree in Geophysics and Meteorology with a starring role for the university side. During this period, she became a mainstay for Murrayfield Wanderers, playing a pivotal role in their historic league and cup double in 2017. That domestic success served as her springboard to the international stage where Nelson quickly established herself as play-making stand-off, famously helping Scotland to secure its first-ever away win against Ireland in 2018. 

As one of the eight inaugural players to be awarded a professional contract by Scottish Rugby in 2018, Helen has since gained elite experience in France with Montpellier before moving to Loughborough Lightning in the PWR. 

Now a veteran of 75 caps and only the second Scottish woman to surpass 200 points (currently sitting on 244). 

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – APRIL 13: Scotland’s Helen Nelson in action during a Guinness Women’s Six Nations match between Scotland and Italy at The Hive Stadium, on April 13, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Emma Orr 

Emma Orr’s rugby story began in Primary 4 at Walston Primary School, but it was at Biggar RFC where her potential truly ignited. Within months of joining their U15 side, she captained the team to a Youth Cup victory at Murrayfield in 2017. 

Her rise was meteoric; after transitioning through the Scotland U18 Sevens and making her senior Sevens debut in Lisbon, she was fast-tracked into the Test arena. 

Making her senior debut at just 18 years of age against Wales in 2022, Orr has since become a consistent presence for Scotland. Despite being only 22 years old, she has already amassed 34 caps, featuring at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, the Commonwealth Games, and two WXV2 campaigns. 

Her attacking threat was on full display during the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England, where she crossed the whitewash against both Wales and Fiji, bringing her international tally to 10 tries. 

Domestically, Orr honed her craft with Biggar and Heriot’s Blues before representing the Thistles and Edinburgh Rugby in the Celtic Challenge before she signed for Bristol Bears in the PWR for the 2024/25 season.  

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – APRIL 26: Scotland’s Emma Orr in action during a Guinness Women’s Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland at The Hive Stadium, on April 26, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Alex Stewart 

Alex Stewart’s ascent through the ranks is a clear example of how the Scottish pathway structures support local talent. 

Her journey began at school in a partnership with Lismore RFC, where she quickly entered the Aspiring Performance Programme (APP) to sharpen her technical skills. By 2022, her leadership qualities were already on display as she captained Edinburgh Harlequins U18 to a National Youth Cup Final at Murrayfield. 

The following years saw Alex move through every tier of the developing pathway. She represented Scotland at the first-ever U18 Six Nations Festival and in the Rugby Europe Sevens in Prague, before gaining senior experience with Corstorphine Cougars in the Sarah Beaney Cup. 

In 2023, a tour with the Scotland Futures (now known as the U21 programme) in Italy provided the final bridge to the elite game. 

Her breakthrough came in 2024 when she was named vice-captain for Edinburgh Rugby in their inaugural Celtic Challenge season, where her consistently physical performances earned her a senior Scotland call-up. 

Alex made an immediate impact on the international stage, earning her first cap in Scotland’s historic away victory over Wales in 2024. Now with 17 caps and an international try against Japan to her name, Stewart’s move from youth rugby to a regular face in the national squad highlights one of the many pathways to international success. 

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – MARCH 30: Scotland’s Alex Stewart takes a selfie with young fans during a Guinness Women’s Six Nations match between Scotland and France at Hive Stadium, on March 30, 2024, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

A Landmark Moment at Scottish Gas Murrayfield 

By breaking the attendance record for a stand-alone women’s sporting event in Scotland, the upcoming match against the Red Roses serves as a reflection of the sport’s continual growth and the next generation dreaming of pulling on the famed shirt.  

Be a part of history. Secure your tickets here.