AN ARDROSSAN man is hoping to help grow women's rugby in Scotland after taking up an exciting new coaching role.

Stuart Lewis has been named as one of the five-strong coaching team who is set to lead the Glasgow Warriors' first-ever women's setup.

Stuart will take up an assistant coach role alongside Megan Kennedy. Lindsey Smith and Fraser Brown, overseeing the squad’s forwards and defence, with Chris Laidlaw given the role of head coach.

The role will see Stuart continue the fine work he has already undertaken within the women's game as head coach of the University of Strathclyde women’s rugby team.

The 28-year-old has worked within the rugby world for most of his adult life and has worked as a rugby operations assistant with Glasgow Warriors for the past eight years.

But rugby was a sport that Stuart very nearly never came to - mainly playing football until the age of 15 before the former development officer at Ardrossan Accies inspired Stuart to make the switch to the oval ball game.

During this time Stuart has coached at the club, helping out with younger sides, before leaving school to become a modern apprentice with Scottish Rugby.

There he worked alongside then development officer Andrew Duncan - now Accies' first team coach -  delivering rugby sessions in schools.

After completing his apprenticeship, the Ardrossan man worked as an assistant development officer with the club for a year prior to taking up his role at the Glasgow Warriors.

All the while Stuart starred in Accies' first XV for eight-years before he called it a day two years ago.

Now, Stuart is looking forward to helping lead this new trailblazing Warriors side who will make their competitive bow in the Celtic Challenge competition.

This will see the Warriors women compete against Edinburgh, as well as Irish and Welsh sides, in the tournament.

Speaking after being named assistant coach, Stuart shared his hopes for the role with the Herald.

He commented: "It’s exciting. I think this is huge for Glasgow Warriors and for the women’s game in Scotland.

"I’m passionate about Glasgow Warriors being successful on and off the pitch, and to be able to have female athletes represent the club adds to the clubs ongoing work connecting with their community.

"Hopefully young female rugby players will see this group wear the Warriors badge and be inspired to be a part of it one day."

And Stuart is hoping his own skillset can play a major role in this.

He added: "We are focussed on making our players feel they are now part of Glasgow Warriors. As a group we want to give our group of athletes a positive experience of performance rugby.

"We hope to create an environment that is different to club rugby, to challenge and  grow their rugby skills.

"At the end of the programme if our group of players leave having enjoyed the experience with a feeling that they want to be involved again and inspired go even further in rugby then it will be a success."

He believes the Celtic Challenge will be the perfect place to show just what the setup is capable of.

He continued: "It will be a great test for the coaches and the players. It’s a little bit of unknown territory with it being a new competition.

"We are excited to have our friends from the east up first to see where the group is at before playing the other Celtic teams.

"I’m pretty sure they will all provide a tough test."

More information on the Celtic Challenge, including how to buy tickets for the Warriors and Edinburgh fixtures, can be found online at scottishrugby.org/celtic-challenge-glasgow-and-edinburgh/.