Scottish Rugby today announced the appointment of Gary Parker as the new Scotland Women’s head coach.

A former player with Melrose and Scotland A, and coach with Gala, Melrose and Biggar, Parker was also head coach of the Scotland Club International side in 2006.

Parker said: “I’ve been keen to get into a challenging coaching role since moving on from being coach at Gala. Being involved with Scotland Women in a season that not only features a 6 Nations championship but also a Rugby World Cup will certainly test me as a coach in an environment that’s entirely new.

The Regional Series played a key part in squad selection

“As a local director with Royal Bank of Scotland, I’ve been involved on a daily basis with managing people and building teams, experience that I’m sure will be invaluable in this new role.”

Parker, who will be assisted by Hamilton development officer, Jared Tuoro, as they aim to build on the 2010 World Cup qualification achieved earlier this year at the FIRA European Championships, took the opportunity to announce both the Scotland Women and Scotland Women A squads for their respective training camps this Autumn.

Some 33 players have been selected to join the Scotland camp with 18 allocated to Scotland A.

Following a November camp, a Scotland squad will be selected to play Ireland in a training match on Sunday 20 December in Belfast. A further selection will be made, drawing from both squads, building towards the 2010 6 Nations and a series of Scotland A fixtures in the new year.

Instrumental in the initial selection of both sides has been the new Scottish Regional Series, played during September and October. Created to provide performance players with an opportunity to play at more competitive level, the three games bridged the gap between club and international rugby.

Outgoing Scotland Women head coach, Jamie Dempsey, worked as a Scottish Rugby development officer for six years prior to taking up the full-time post and is credited with making a significant contribution to the squad’s progress over the last season.

Scottish Rugby’s head of community rugby, Colin Thomson, said: “Due to increased work and coaching commitments Jamie Dempsey has decided to step down from his position as head coach to the national women’s team.

“Scottish Rugby thanks Jamie for his contribution to that team in ensuring qualification for next year’s IRB Women’s World Cup in England.”

- SCOTLAND WOMEN SQUAD -

Rosalind Murphy - Loose head prop - Edinburgh University
Heather Lockhart - Loose head prop - Hillhead Jordanhill
Beth Dickens - Tight head prop - Murrayfield Wanderers
Sarah Quick - Hooker Murrayfield - Wanderers
Sarah-Louise Walker - Hooker - Watsonians
Nikki McLeod - Hooker - Edinburgh University
Louise Moffat - Second-row - Murrayfield Wanderers
Lindsay Wheeler - Second-row - Team Northumbria
Gillian McCord - Second-row / tight-head prop - Royal High Cougars
Lana Blyth - Second-row -Murrayfield Wanderers
Joy Lyth - Second-row - Royal High Cougars
Natalya Macholla - Second-row - Stirling County
Lynne Reid - Blind-side flanker - Royal High Cougars
Jemma Forsyth - Blind-side flanker / number 8 - Grangemouth RFC
Donna Kennedy - Open-side flanker - Worcester 
Ruth Slaven - Open-side flanker - Murrayfield Wanderers
Susie Brown - Number 8 - Richmond
Keri Holdsworth - Number 8 - Watsonians
Sarah Gill - Scrum-half - Murrayfield Wanderers
Louise Dalgliesh - Scrum-half - Royal High Cougars
Emma Evans - Stand-off - Watsonians
Tanya Griffith - Fly-half - Royal High Cougars
Erin Kerr - Inside-centre / stand-off - Richmond
Suzi Newton - Inside-centre - Team Northumbria
Annabel Sergeant - Centre - Dundee
Stephanie Johnston - Centre - Hillhead Jordanhill
Laura Steven - Outside-centre - Murrayfield Wanderers
Veronica Fitzpatrick - Outside-centre / wing - Royal High Cougars
Victoria Blakebrough - Wing / full-back - Richmond
Cara D’Silva - Wing - Royal High Cougars
Katy Green - Wing / outside- centre - Murrayfield Wanderers
Celia Hawthorn - Wing / centre - Edinburgh University
Sarah Dixon - Wing - Watsonians
Lucy Millard - Full-back / outside-centre - Team Northumbria

- SCOTLAND WOMEN FIXTURES -

Saturday 6 February - Scotland Women v France Women, Lasswade (kick-off 7pm)*
Sunday 14 February - Wales v Scotland (kick-off and venue tbc)
Sunday 28 February - Italy v Scotland (kick-off and venue tbc)
Saturday 13 March - Scotland Women v England Women, Meggetland (kick-off 1.30pm)
Friday 19 March - Ireland v Scotland  (kick-off and venue tbc)
*Double header with Scotland Women A

- SCOTLAND WOMEN A SQUAD -

Louise Gray - Loose-head prop - Henley
Lindsay Smith - Tight-head prop - Hillhead Jordanhill
Mairi Forsyth - Tight-head Prop - Grangemouth RFC
Joan Hutchison - Hooker - Hillhead Jordanhill
Alison Macdonald - Hooker - Royal High Cougars
Katie Barker - Second-row - Dundee
Tess Forsberg - Flanker - Murrayfield Wanderers
Laura Hanson - Flanker
Lisa Martin - Scrum-half / stand-off - Murrayfield Wanderers
Julia Blair - Scrum-half / wing - Team Northumbria
Claire Bain - Stand-off - Royal High Cougars
Morag Paterson - Wing / centre - Darlington Mowden Sharks
Christina Ovenden - Wing - Richmond
Megan Gaffney - Wing - Murrayfield Wanderers
Julie Sanaghan - Full-back - Kirkcaldy
Ciara Baxter - Full-back - Dundee
Diane Purvis - Full-back - Morpeth
Lynsey Douglas - Wing / full-back - Wasps

- SCOTLAND WOMEN A FIXTURES -

Saturday 28 February - Scotland Women A v Police (kick-off and venue tbc)
30 or 31 January (tbc) - Scotland Women A v British Army
Saturday 6 February - Scotland A Women v France A Women, Lasswade (kick-off 6pm)*
* Double header with Scotland v France (6 Nations)

This initial selection invites listed players to attend either the Scotland Women or Scotland Women A training weekend on the 14/15 November.
 
Following this, a squad of 22 to 25 players will be selected to go to Ireland for a training match as part of the Scotland Women’s National Squad on the 18-20 December 2009.

All other players in either the Scotland Women or Scotland Women A squads will attend the Scotland Women A training weekend on 19/20 December here in Scotland.
 
Following on from the Ireland training match in December, players will be selected to train with either the Scotland Women or Scotland Women A Squad in January 2010, in preparation for the 6Nations 2010 competition. This will be communicated to you before the end of Dec 2009.