The Scottish Women's Rugby Union (SWRU) was the national governing body for women's rugby union in Scotland. It was responsible for the governance of women's rugby union within Scotland. Its role was all encompassing. It went from youth recruitment, through administrating all senior based (aged 16+) competition, through to the performance and management of the Scotland women's national rugby union team.
At their AGM in June 2009 the SWRU voted unanimously in favour of amalgamating the Scottish Rugby Union and the SWRU to form an integrated national governing body rugby in Scotland.[1]
Executive Board
The SWRU was led by a volunteer based Executive Board. Board members were elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at June each year. The Executive Board was renamed from the Executive Committee in the 2007 AGM.The posts were annual in nature with the exception of the Chairperson, whose post was held for 2 years. Board members had to be affiliated with a women's rugby union club.
Anna Panayotopoulos (Edinburgh University LRFC) 2006-2007
Emma-Beth Wilson 2001–2003
Fiona Shanks 2000–2001
Ordinary Member:
Allan Douglas (Murrayfield Wanderers WRFC) 2006-2007
Treasurer:
Ali MacKenize 2005–2006
Sheena Buchan 2001–2002
Full time staff
In addition to the volunteer Executive Board, three full-time staff based at the Scottish Rugby Union assisted with the planning and delivery of the women's rugby union programme throughout Scotland. From 2001 to 2005 only 2 posts existed, the Women's Administration Manager and the Girls Development Officer. In 2005, in conjunction with the Scottish Rugby Union, the two posts were re-purposed, with another one created as a result. The new staffing structure consisted of a Community Manager, a Performance Development Manager (responsible for the performance pathways programme) and a Women's Development Officer (responsible for Youth and Senior rugby).
Previous full time staff
Jo Wells, Women's Community Manager, appointed July 2006–present
Jo Hull, National Performance Development Manager (women's), appointed Jan 2006–present
Car Stevenson, Women's Development Officer, appointed 2008–present
Barbara Wilson, First SWRU Administration Manager, 2001–2006
Beth MacLeod, First SWRU Girls Development Manager, 2001–2005
Claire Cruikshank, Youth Development Administrator, 2004–2006
National Competitions
In the 2010-2011 season, there were four divisions within the Scottish league: Premier League 1, Premier League 2, National League and the National Development League.
Annually, a National 7s competition was traditionally held on the first weekend of May. For five years, it was held at Portobello Rugby Club in Edinburgh. The normal format was for teams to be split into two pools, with semi-finalists chosen through the top 2 winners of the pools.