Fletcher making the most of Glasgow Warriors return

That love for rugby was first sparked at Dunbar Rugby Club, where Fletcher’s journey began alongside family and friends.

“My brother played, and my dad coached him, and my brother was a couple of years below me,” she recalls. “I went to watch him play in a tournament and my year group was playing at the top of the pitch so I went to watch them as well. All my guy friends were playing and it just looked really fun.

“I did judo at the time and I guess at that age I just wanted to be stronger and faster than all the guys. I went down to a training session and I loved rolling about in the mud. I was really competitive and I loved playing with my friends, so it just stuck.”

Although rugby eventually won out over judo, the influence of her early sporting background is still clear in her game today.

“There are still skills I draw on from judo now,” she explains. “Groundwork, learning how to land and fall properly, that’s all really transferable. There’s also the discipline and respect. Judo is based on respecting your opponent enough to fight your best.”

It is a mindset that has translated seamlessly into her approach at Glasgow Warriors Women.

Fletcher added: “We’ve actually spoken about it a lot as a team on respecting our opposition enough to the point where we are playing our absolute best because we respect how good the teams in the league are.”

The young forward has experienced rugby at every level of the Scottish pathway, from club rugby to BUCS and through the U18 and U20 international programmes. Each environment has brought different challenges and plenty of familiar faces.

“One of the really nice things about Scottish Rugby is that you’re never too far away from a familiar face,” she says. “Particularly through the Scottish pathway, I feel like the core group has really grown together.

“I’ve played with Molly [Poolman] since U18s and U20s and now she’s doing brilliantly in the women’s squad. Now I play against her in the Celtic Challenge. There are lots of examples like that and it’s really lovely.”

Those experiences have played a key role in her development on and off the pitch.

She continued: “I think I’ve grown massively through the age-grade programmes because of the differences in coaching. Every coach has had something different to offer. I’ve picked up loads about captaincy and leadership and along with lots of specific positional, gameplay and tactical skills.”

“Once you get a taste of it, you want to push on. I fell in love with U18s and wanted to move on to U20s and keep learning with the same group. Pushing yourself helps you grow.”

That momentum was interrupted by a challenging run of injuries that sidelined Fletcher for six months during what had been a standout period, including being named U20 MVP last summer.

“I felt I was at a really good point in my rugby and then injuries happened,” she says. “There were some difficult conversations where I wasn’t sure if I was going to play again.”

Her return against Clovers earlier this season was therefore about far more than just getting back on the pitch.

“Coming back was a massive relief,” she explains. “I did a lot of my rehab at Glasgow, so I was around the environment. Everyone is right there to welcome you with open arms and they knew what I’d been dealing with. They were just as excited as I was to be back. It shows how tight knit this group is.”

With Warriors showing that they can compete against the current top teams in the league, Fletcher believes the squad is well placed to turn strong performances into results.

“We’re a real threat with ball-in-hand,” she says. “We are good in attack and we know what we’ve got to work on and I honestly believe we can come away with some wins if we nail down some of those defensive work-ons.”

“The Irish teams love a kicking battle and we’ve analysed that a lot. It’ll be tough, but if we play our game we’ll be a massive threat. Having the home crowd makes such a difference as well.”

Off the pitch, another landmark moment arrived recently when Fletcher earned her first invitation into a Scotland Women training camp.

“I found out I was selected because my flatmate texted me saying to check my emails and I had a lot of texts coming through. I checked and I almost started crying. I called my dad instantly and he started crying. It was really, really cool. To be recognised and to be spoken about in that way and at that level is really exciting.”

Sharing that experience with several Glasgow teammates helped make the transition even smoother.

She added: “It was my first time in a Scotland Women’s camp and it was brilliant. Having so many familiar faces meant it didn’t feel too alien and it was great to link-up with players I know from pathways. It was a lot of information in one week and quite a tough training week but we all got each other through and it was a chance to put our skills from Celtic Challenge on show.”

With an exciting few weeks ahead as Celtic Challenge races towards the later stages, Fletcher will be making sure to make the most of each opportunity as it comes.

Game week, let’s go! 😤

🎟️ https://t.co/S6FPzzbSmn #WhateverItTakes ⚔️ 🛡️ pic.twitter.com/XodIGAyNXc

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) February 9, 2026