Falkirk RFC captain Morven Hylands has hailed the club’s “thriving” women and girls’ section – saying that it can now be considered one of the biggest and best in the country.

The senior women's XV face Gala in the National Bowl final this Saturday at the Murrayfield Campus, and reaching the final of a national competition highlights just how far the group have come in a short space of time, having started up as a new team again in early 2024.

Falkirk already had a successful, bustling youth section in place – but there was no pathway to senior women’s rugby. And that is what New Carron native Hylands is most proud about, having been part of the club since she was eight.

"We can credit the girls’ section really for giving the chance for the women's team to thrive,” she explained. The girls set-up has always been really strong and a really positive thing at Falkirk. But the thing that was lacking was a full senior pathway, and it was like that for too long. Previously, there was a senior women’s side but it was never sustained for whatever reasons. But in recent years, with the girls programme becoming so strong and the numbers that we've got in the senior women’s team now, it's absolutely phenomenal to be honest. It's one of the strongest across Scotland, not just in our region.”

Falkirk RFC’s senior women are gearing up for the National Bowl final this Saturday at Murrayfield – the team have enjoyed a successful run in the cup and previously in the Aspiring League, which they won (Photo: Falkirk Rugby Club)

placeholder image — Falkirk RFC’s senior women are gearing up for the National Bowl final this Saturday at Murrayfield – the team have enjoyed a successful run in the cup and previously in the Aspiring League, which they won (Photo: Falkirk Rugby Club)

The senior XV reached the bowl final thanks to a 19-5 semi-final victory away to Musselbrugh last month, and the matchday squad included nine Falkirk academy products with a third of the starting team being homegrown.

“It didn't make sense for us not to have a senior stepping stone so a girl could represent Falkirk all the way through,” Hylands continued. “It was the right next step for women and girls rugby at Falkirk. It just didn't make sense having no senior team with the strong girls section that we had. And we are already seeing the progression now with so many players coming through to the senior women.

“It’s great to see and it is the biggest thing because when I was a younger girl, that opportunity didn’t exist for me. It’s phenomenal.”

It’s an exciting 2026 for the senior women, who are also transitioning to the National League system proper after winning the development Aspiring League in style last year.

Falkirk captain Morven Hylands in action during the team's Aspiring League campaign (Photo: PMphotography)

And they are hoping to secure more silverware this Saturday, coming up against familiar foes in Gala, who they have defeated twice already in recent times both in the cup and league.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s match, which kicks-off at 1.15pm before the national team’s Six Nations fixture against France, No 8 Hylands admitted that lifting the trophy would be the icing on the cake for this group.

She said: “I am so proud of all of them. Everyone has put in the hard work and it has paid off so far. We deserve this opportunity due to the amount we’ve put into the past couple of years.

“We didn’t set a specific goal of where we wanted to end up when the team started, but I can tell you that we didn’t think this progression would happen so quickly. And that’s a credit to everyone involved: the players, the club and Callum (Hunter) our head coach and everyone who helps out.

"This does feel like the first step for us though, there is still a lot more that we can give and achieve. We’re undefeated in the league and now in this cup run. We’ve managed to prove that we are capable of going the distance as a team now.”

Hylands added: “To win it on Saturday would just consolidate all the hard work that we have put in. It would sort of prove that it's been worth it. It's obviously been worth it to get to this stage, but just getting the reward of winning would just be like the icing on the cake. And to end our second competitive season with a clean run through the league and the cup and winning both of them, it would special.

"It would give us confidence going into the higher leagues next season as well. The aspiring league is more of a stepping stone. The national league will be massive challenge, and it is a little bit nerve-wracking! But we need to have that competition and challenge. I do think that we are ready for it.”

If Falkirk manage to secure the trophy this Saturday, they will be presented with it during the half time period of Scotland’s Six Nations clash with France. The bowl final is being streamed live via Scottish Rugby.