Two caps, two tries: Aicha Sutcliffe eyes more after electric Scotland debut

Aicha Sutcliffe announced herself on the international stage with tries in each of her first two Scotland caps during the Women’s Six Nations, and the 21-year-old hooker is already setting her sights on more.

Sutcliffe came off the bench in the 63rd minute of Scotland’s 69-28 home defeat to France at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium on 9 May, her first act a lineout throw before she crossed for the try that secured a four-try bonus point. Eight days later at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, she scored a consolation try in a 54-5 loss to Ireland — two caps, two tries, and a place in the history books as Scotland cap number 253.

“Although we lost in the end, I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better first cap than against France,” Sutcliffe said. “Coming on, my first job was a lineout throw and I was a bit nervous about that. Then once I nailed that I could get into my flow and just play rugby.”

The moment the try went down was one she will not forget quickly. “To score a try was just amazing — I screamed so hard as I put the ball down. There are photos of me scoring and when I saw them after the game I was like, ‘My mouth has never opened wider’.”

Sutcliffe, who is originally from the north of Scotland and came through the ranks at Huntly, The Gordon Schools, Highland, Strathallan School and Stirling County before joining Glasgow Warriors, had a particularly proud spectator in the stands for her debut. “My dad was very much my hype man when I was younger and he has followed my whole career to this point. He was buzzing when I saw him at the end of the France game — I think he shed a tear, he was proud.”

The Six Nations campaign was a difficult one for Scotland overall, but the emergence of Sutcliffe alongside fellow newcomers Emily Coubrough, Holland Bogan, Demi Swann and Rianna Darroch offered genuine encouragement. Sutcliffe, who holds an academy contract with Scottish Rugby for 2026/27, is now part of the 32-strong training squad preparing for the WXV Global Series, which features home Tests against Canada, New Zealand and Australia in September, followed by two matches in the southern hemisphere in October under interim head coach Dave Butcher.

“I definitely feel a bit more at ease now because I was nervous at first coming into the squad before the Six Nations,” she admitted. “Suddenly I was training with people who I’d watched on television, but everyone here is nice and it is easy to get along with everyone.”