Evie Gallagher

Evie Gallagher, born on August 22 2000, in Stirling, is a dynamic back-row player who currently features for Scotland and Bristol Bears.

She began her rugby journey at Stirling County RFC, participating in mini rugby sessions during her youth, starting out as a scrum-half. As well as rugby, Evie participated in basketball, eventing and horse riding.

As she entered Stirling High School, Evie became a trailblazer in the development of girls’ rugby at Stirling County. She was part of the inaugural intake for the Kilgannon Academy, which aimed to bridge the gap between mini-rugby and U18 rugby for girls. As a student she celebrated consecutive victories in the Girls Club Cup Finals at Murrayfield Stadium in 2017 and 2018, notably scoring in the latter match.

Gallagher has represented Scotland at various age-grade levels, including U18 Sevens and U19. She was part of the Scotland Sevens squad that clinched victory at the 2018 Amsterdam Sevens, winning all eight of their games.

Whilst studying for a degree in ecological and environmental science, Gallagher played for the University of Edinburgh for two seasons. She was among the winning team that beat Northumbria in the BUCS Women’s Championship Final of 2018. They also won the Scottish Varsity match against St Andrews in 2018 with a score of 49–0. During the match, Gallagher scored a hat-trick of tries.

Just a few years later, Evie earned her first senior cap for Scotland on April 3 2021, coming off the bench against England in the Women’s Six Nations.

In 2022, Gallagher made her Commonwealth Games debut at Birmingham, finishing sixth as Team Scotland fielded a women’s rugby sevens team for the first time. Unfortunately, later that year Evie was forced to miss out on the Rugby World Cup 2022 due to injury. But since, she has been a consistent performer for Scotland, and earning praise as one of the in-form players globally.

Known for her robust ball-carrying abilities and strong defensive skills, Gallagher provides a powerful presence in both attack and defense. Her consistent performances led to a nomination for the Rugby Players Association’s Women’s Player of the Year award in 2024.