Scotland U20 to participate in first ever Women’s Summer Series

Six Nations Rugby is introducing the first of its kind Six Nations Women’s Summer Series, which will debut this July, in Parma, Italy.

Running from 4-14 July 2024, the inaugural development competition will feature all Six Nations teams, and include three competitive match days, designed to offer a new opportunity for international rugby experience.

The Women’s Summer Series is intended to offer players a vital new opportunity to graduate through the rugby development pathway, from the U18 level. For those players who may have missed the U18 entry point onto the rugby pathway, the Women’s Summer Series opens up another route to international rugby.

Similar to the Six Nations U18 Festivals, each union will involve coaches and match officials from their respective nation, to ensure it is not only the players that gain vital experience or offered the opportunity to develop and learn alongside each other.

The format of the Women’s Summer Series will see three match days, on July 4, 9 and 14 July, with teams made up of predominately Under-20 players, but with each union able to select up to three U23 players per match day squad.

On the announcement, Scottish Rugby’s Performance Pathways Manager Girls & Womens Rugby, Robbie Lavery, said: “We are delighted to be participating in this new competition format, hosted by the Six Nations. Development opportunities for young athletes to test themselves against new opposition is a key part of our evolving pathway.

“Last year, our Scotland Futures side travelled to Italy for development fixtures against Ireland and Italy, and all 26 selected players, including Alex Stewart, who was capped for Scotland in this year’s Guinness Six Nations, went on to be named in this year’s Celtic Challenge. For us, this clearly demonstrates the importance of enhanced playing opportunities in developing and growing future talent for Scotland.”

The Six Nations Women’s Summer Series will be available to fans all over the world, via exclusive coverage on the Six Nations Rugby YouTube channels, with supporting coverage across dedicated Under-20 Six Nations social media channels.