Former Scotland internationals Stuart McInally and Megan Gaffney have been appointed advisors to the Scottish Rugby Union board.
The board wants the duo, who have almost 100 caps of experience between them from their playing careers, to provide expert insights into performance rugby given their standing in the game and their journeys through the various levels of rugby in Scotland.
McInally retired from international rugby in 2023 to focus on his flying career.
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He made his Edinburgh debut in 2015 in the back-row before successfully transitioning to hooker and making more than 150 appearances for the capital club.
He has played through the pathway system in Scotland since school to full international honours where he won 49 caps, including being captain at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Of his appointment, the ex-Scotland captain said: “I’m really pleased to take up this position with the board. My journey with Scottish Rugby started at age grade level and ended at the Rugby World Cup in France, and I am looking forward to sharing my experiences and learnings from my time in the game to help advance the game of rugby in Scotland.”
Gaffney, meanwhile, retired from international rugby in 2022 having amassed 45 caps in a career that spanned more than a decade.
She was also selected for the Great Britain training squads for the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.
Gaffney, whose rugby journey started at North Berwick, has played club rugby throughout Scotland and was recently appointed director of women's rugby at Heriot's.
She said: “I have a real passion to help grow rugby at all levels, particularly women’s rugby, which is in an exciting place right now so it’s important to keep the momentum going.
"Nobody knows the playing side of rugby better than the players, and to be asked to advise on the decision making is incredibly humbling.
"These appointments perfectly illustrate the importance Scottish Rugby places on hearing the players’ voice, at all levels of our game.”
The SRU Board was created as part of the governance review conducted by Professor Lorne Crerar in 2022.
The SRU Board and its custodian directors oversee the activities of Scottish Rugby Ltd which is responsible for the ongoing management and operations of the Scottish Rugby Union Group.
Professor Lorne Crerar, Chair of the Scottish Rugby Union Board, said: "On behalf of the SRU Board, we are extremely pleased to welcome Megan and Stuart where their intimate and recent knowledge of the male and female pathways and representative systems will enhance our understanding of the professional game in Scotland and the journeys players take to get there.”
Colin Rigby, Scottish Rugby Union president, added: "These appointments ensure that, along with the club-appointed custodians, that rugby’s traditions and values remain at the forefront of our discussions at board level.
"Both Megan and Stuart bring with them a wealth of experience of the professional and international game and are respected voices of the players, without who at any level we would not have a game.
"We look forward to working with them and learning from them as we continue to evolve our beloved game of rugby in Scotland."
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