Claire Cruikshank and Lindsey Smith have been appointed as the head coaches of Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors ahead of the 2024/25 Celtic Challenge.

Former Scotland front-row Smith, who won 42 caps in her playing career, will take charge of the Scotstoun outfit for their second campaign in the competition, replacing  Chris Laidlaw, who has moved to Harlequins. 

Since hanging up her boots, Smith has established herself as one of Scotland’s brightest up-and-coming coaches, serving as assistant coach to the Scottish Futures squad for two seasons in addition to working as part of Laidlaw’s team at Scotstoun last season.

Lindsey Smith will take charge of Glasgow WarriorsLindsey Smith will take charge of Glasgow Warriors (Image: SNS Group) She said: “I’m really proud to be taking charge of this group, and representing Glasgow Warriors. 

“To have the opportunity to be involved in coaching our first-ever women’s squad last season was something I’ll never forget, and to have the chance to step up to the Head Coach role is a massive honour.

"It’s a really exciting chance to build the programme here at Scotstoun and I can’t wait to get started.

“The Celtic Challenge has been huge for us, because it gives these young players a tangible next step – they can see the target in their eye-line, and that’s massive. Young players I’ve worked with can see that representing Glasgow Warriors is an achievable goal, and you can tell how much they want to be a part of this competition.

“I’m excited to get started, and help to write the next chapter in this team’s history for Glasgow Warriors.”

Cruikshank, meanwhile, steered Edinburgh to a second-placed finish in the team’s inaugural season, and now takes on the role on a full-time basis.

She joins from the University of Edinburgh, where she has worked as head of performance ladies’ rugby, where she has brought success for over a decade in the university game, though she will remain in a strategic role with the university. 

Edinburgh and Glasgow entered teams into the Celtic Challenge for the first time this year and they'll return for the 2024/25 seasonEdinburgh and Glasgow entered teams into the Celtic Challenge for the first time this year and they'll return for the 2024/25 season (Image: SNS) Cruikshank was also World Rugby Coaching Intern for Scotland Women and the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and coached with the national team during the recent WXV2 campaign in Cape Town.

On the appointment, Cruikshank added: “It’s a really exciting role, and I can’t wait to get started. Last season’s Celtic Challenge was amazing to be a part of, and to build on that is an opportunity I’m looking forward to immensely.

“It’s great to see so many of our players from last season doing well, with many earning international honours after playing for Edinburgh.

"It shows the clear pathway that is available for the girls, and one I’m excited to continue working on.”