Ex-Hawick rugby head coach Matty Douglas signs up with Edinburgh’s women for new Celtic Challenge campaign

Douglas has been appointed as defence coach by Edinburgh’s women’s side, reporting to head coach Claire Cruikshank and working alongside fellow new recruits Ross Bundy and Panashe Muzambe, the former being forwards coach and the latter a scrummaging specialist.

Ex-Greens full-back Douglas, 29, is the youngest head coach to have won the premiership, with his home-town team in 2023, and he also secured the sport’s Scottish cup with them that year, as well as this year’s inter-district championship with South of Scotland and he’s chuffed to bits to be coaching again, telling Borders Rugby TV: “I’m buzzing to be back involved in a coaching capacity.

“It’s probably been a bit longer than I would have expected to be out of the game but I’ve enjoyed the last five or six months looking at ways I can improve as a coach and do things better.

“It was just about trying to figure out what the next challenge would be, to fit around work, and the opportunity came around to join Edinburgh women as assistant coach, looking at defence, and defence is something that I’ve got a real passion for and I love coaching it.

“At Hawick, it was something I took real pride in and I think now’s the right time to try to take that passion somewhere else, and it’s been great to try to put a philosophy in place and work on a system with the girls.

“It’s a great challenge for me. The women’s game is something that I’ve never really been involved in but I’m loving every minute of it so far.

“Being based up at Murrayfield and training out at the Hive Stadium, it’s just a different experience, and the Celtic Challenge is a tournament that’s expanded even since last season. The six teams being able to play home and away now is a great experience for the girls and it readies them for international rugby.

“We’ve got a real quality squad this year, with a lot of younger girls coming through, and that’s what this competition’s about and it’s a great way for them to show their skill-sets and put their hands up for national selection in the Six Nations.

“It’s a really exciting time to be involved and I’ve learnt a lot already from the coaching team that’s in place. Claire is a quality coach, one of the best women’s coaches in Scotland, and I’ve got a lot of respect for her and I’m just keen to learn from her.

“It’s a really good coaching team and I’m just excited to now kick on against Brython Thunder a week on Saturday at the Hive.

“The games come thick and fast and it’s pretty hectic programme but I’m just buzzing to be back involved and looking forward to what could come off the back of this.”

Cruikshank added: “It’s a really exciting group of young coaches who are all eager to make their mark in this season’s competition.

“It has been great to work with them all so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can develop as a team throughout this season.”

Douglas and his new club, captained by Alex Stewart, got off to a winning start in their Celtic Challenge opener against Glasgow Warriors’ women on Friday, beating their Scottish rivals by 63-15 at home at the Hive.

Their game against Brython Thunder a week on Saturday kicks off at 2pm.