Findlay takes on Scotland job
Karen Findlay has been appointed head coach of the Scotland women's rugby team.
Published by Scrum Queens, January 28th, 2011
3 minute read
A hugely experienced former Scotland international and ex-captain, Findlay is currently head coach at Richmond - the leading team in England. She takes charge of the side just a week before Scotland's opening 6 Nations fixture against France (Friday 4 February, Viry-Chtillon, kick-off 8pm, local).
The team had been without a head coach since Gary Parker stepped down following the World Cup.
With 85 caps for Scotland, 52 as captain, she was a member of the first womens national team to play at Murrayfield Stadium.
Her international career began in 1996, against Wales, and continued until 2006, when she moved into a full-time sports coaching programme. She was appointed to the coaching team at Richmond and has been head coach for five years.
She has also coached Surrey under-20 girls and in the Celtic League, which involved Scottish, Welsh, Irish and exile players, and was involved in coaching Scotland Women in the run-up to their recent friendly in Spain.
Of her appointment to the national team, Karen said: Im incredibly honoured, delighted, and very excited about the future. Theres a really good basis to the squad and Ive seen lots of good things if we get the foundations right now, that bodes well for the future.
Aside from her rugby commitments, Karen works full time for the Olympic Police co-ordination team, delivering national security in the run up to and during the 2012 Olympic Games.
In the build-up to their Six Nations championship, Scotland Women take on the Army in a training game this weekend (Saturday 29 January) at Percy Park RFC, Tynemouth with a 2pm kick-off.
Meanwhile, the Scotland Women under-20 team has appointed Jules Murciano as head coach, assisted by Donna Kennedy and Claire Cruikshank. Jules has a wealth of coaching experience ranging from club to performance coaching within the women's programme while Donna and Claire are former Scotland internationalists, Donna having retired as Scotland's most capped rugby player with a women's world record 115 caps.