New role and new figure to help Scottish Women's Rugby

NEWS: Scottish Rugby has appointed Andy Rhys Jones as its first Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways.

In this newly created position, Jones will lead the strategic growth and development of Scotland’s women’s player pathways, National Age Grade teams, and the Women’s Senior National Team.

His focus will be on building a sustainable talent pipeline, enhancing performance structures, and ensuring Scotland’s elite athletes are supported to succeed at the highest level of the international game.

Jones joins Scottish Rugby from Harlequins, where he is currently their Head of Women’s Rugby. During his four and a half years with the club, he has overseen the operational and performance frameworks that supported the club’s women’s squad to excel both on and off the pitch. Prior to this role he served as Head of Rugby Operations (Women’s Programme).

Before joining Harlequins, Jones worked across performance rugby in leadership and analysis roles at Loughborough University and Leicester Tigers.

Harlequins are set to play against Saracens next weekend in the PWR Cup Final, having secured their Semi-Final win over Bristol Bears last Sunday. In last year’s regular season of the PWR the London side made it to the Semi-Finals.

Speaking about his appointment, Andy said: “It’s a huge honour to join Scottish Rugby at such an exciting time for the women’s game.

“The potential here is vast, and I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with players, coaches, and stakeholders across the pathway to build a system that consistently supports the development of world-class athletes and enables Scotland to thrive on the international stage.”

Scottish Rugby’s Performance Director, David Nucifora, added: “We are determined to produce the best young players with a pathway that is sustainable and fit for purpose.

“This new role is a critical step for Scottish Rugby to be able to do that. Andy’s expertise in high-performance sport, particularly in the women’s game, combined with a proven ability to align operations with player development, makes him exceptionally well-placed to drive forward our ambitions.”

Andy will officially take up his role in January 2026 and will be based at Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre, at Heriot Watt University.