Scotland to host first ever international Under-18s women’s rugby festival

8 Mar 2022

Six Nations Rugby have today announced the launch of a new age grade pathway for women’s rugby players, with the introduction of an Under-18 Women’s rugby festival, that will run at the same time as the existing men’s event.

Scottish Rugby will host the inaugural Under-18 Women’s festival which will be held at the DAM Heath Stadium, Edinburgh with the first fixture kicking off on Saturday 9 April.

The Under-18 Men’s festival will make a return after a two-year hiatus, due to COVID-19. It will also start on Saturday 9 of April and will be held at the French Federation National Centre in Marcoussis.

The launch of the Six Nations age-grade pathway through the introduction of the Under-18 Women’s festival is a crucial step in strengthening the foundations and conduit for the future generations and stars of the women’s game, and a key step towards further development driven competitions such as an Under-20 Women’s competition.

For those young women, representing their country is a moment to celebrate and an opportunity to play a part in the collective development of their area of the sport.

Scottish Rugby’s Director of Performance Rugby Jim Mallinder said: “We are delighted to be hosting the first ever Under-18 Women’s Six Nations festival in Edinburgh. It’s a hugely exciting time for the women’s game in Scotland, with Scotland Women recently qualifying for this year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, and this festival will be vital in developing the next generation of players.

“Following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, it is great to see our Under-18 men’s and women’s teams able to get their first experience of an international rugby festival, with the hopes of gaining further international honours in the future.”

Julie Patterson, Director of Rugby, Six Nations said: “This is a great development for our sport, and in particular the Women’s game.

“Six Nations Rugby and its unions and federations are committed and excited to put foundations in place, that can lead to the sustainable growth of our Women’s competitions, for the good of the game.

“We are at a watershed moment for Women’s rugby, a huge year for this area of the game, with all eyes on the Rugby World Cup, in New Zealand later this year, and the introduction of a Women’s Under-18 platform highlights the collective ambition to realise this incredible opportunity to motivate growth in the game.

“It is hugely exciting to think, that we could see stars of the future emerge at the Under-18 level that go on to represent the unions and federations at the elite international level in years to come.”

Details on spectator entry will be announced in due course.

Scotland U18 Women fixtures
Saturday 9 April (Two 35min matches per team)
Scotland v Wales
England v Ireland
France v Ireland
Italy v Wales
England v France
Scotland v Italy

Wednesday 13 April (One 70min match per team)
Ireland v Wales
Italy v Scotland
England v France

Scotland U18 Men fixtures
Saturday 9 April (One 70min match per team)
France vs Ireland
Italy vs Scotland
Wales vs England

Wednesday 13 April (One 70min match per team)
France vs Wales
Italy vs Ireland
England v Scotland

Sunday 17 April (One 70min match per team)
Ireland vs Wales
Italy vs England
France vs Scotland