Scotland become the first nation I’ve spotted to announce their squad for the coming WXV2 tournament.
It is:
Forwards
Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers), Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning), Sarah Bonar (Harlequins), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears), Lisa Cockburn (unattached), Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears), Jade Konkel (Harlequins), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning), Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning), Fiona McIntosh (Saracens), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), Aila Ronald (University of Edinburgh)*, Alex Stewart (Corstorphine Cougars), Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning), Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning) (17)
Backs
Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)*, Coreen Grant (Saracens), Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders), Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers), Rhona Lloyd (GB 7s/ Stade Bordelais), Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks)*, Lisa Thomson (GB 7s/Ealing Trailfinders), Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders), Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury)*, Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears) (13)
*uncapped
Scotland are riding on an unfamiliar wave, constant victory. This is one of the less trumpeted triumphs of women’s rugby.
In the last 6N they held France to a 5-15 defeat, then beat Italy 17-10 away. Now they are to meet the Azzurre yet again, on neutral soil.
Bryan Easson has made the sensible 17-13 split between forwards and backs. Will any of the other seventeen nations fail to follow this pattern?
He welcomes back Jade Konkel and Sarah Bonar to the pack after lengthy absences. Given the team’s triumphs without their presence, we may well look forward to even better performances.
Four uncapped players are included, three of whom impressed in the Under 20 Six Nations series this summer, Aila Ronald, Leia Brebner-Holden and Lucia Scott. It will be instructive to see whether they receive a call during a programme constricted to just three tests, all of which are must-wins.
In between
Scotland have two warm-up internationals planned, against Wales on 6 September and a first against Fiji on 14 September, both at the Hive, Edinburgh. Wales will be alongside them in Cape Town; Fiji will be in Dubai in WXV3.
Serious Matters
Last year Scotland came top of WXV2 by the tightest margin (equal points with Italy and equal bonus points!). Now the question is whether they can find enough consistency to look at possible promotion to the Big Time.
If Wales, then Ireland could achieve it, why not them?
Their current world ranking, sixth, is their highest ever. They lie a bare two points behind Australia whom they meet in my choice fixture of the three. (see below)
This second tier can once more claim to be the tightest, the most unpredictable of the three.
Scotland’s fixtures present one oddity: they play Italy, well-known opponents in the Six Nations. Why that should be thought appropriate, when there are three other far less familiar nations available, Australia, Japan and South Africa, will be obvious to the organisers but not to me.
One ongoing weakness: only two of the squad play in Scotland. This detail is so time-worn that it hardly needs mentioning, but until someone comes up with a bright solution, neither the SRU nor the IRFU and the WRU can claim they are doing their duty.
The three fixtures:
1 v Italy, DHL Stadium, Cape Town, Saturday 28 September, KO 3pm
2 v Japan, Athlone Stadium, Cape Town, Saturday 5 October, KO 2pm;
3 v Australia, Athlone Stadium, Cape Town, Saturday 12 October, KO 5pm
