It is a brilliant team sport that combines strength, power and fitness. For indoor tug of war you are on rubber mats with specially designed flat rubber soled shoes. Team members are called ‘pullers’.

The Scottish Men’s Indoor Tug of War Team have enjoyed brilliant success at many Championships with 20 World titles to their name but we are now hoping it’s the turn of the GIRLS!

At the 2018 British & Irish Championships the Scotland girls picked up 2 gold medals in the ladies closed weights and when teaming up the boys for the mixed took home the gold. Some of the Scottish girls then competed in China at the 2018 World Indoor Championships in March where they won a silver medal in the 600kg mixed open competition.

The Scottish girls are hard at training ahead of the 2019 British & Irish Championships which is being held in Dundee on 2-3 February. At this 2 day event pullers will compete for both club and country over a variety of different weight class in men, ladies and mixed teams. The first day of the Championship is a closed competition where pullers compete for their country after winning at national level. The second day is where pullers compete for their clubs, but the invitation to compete on this day is opened up to teams from all around the World, so there is sure to be a great display of talent across this two day event. Check out the Scottish Tug of War website for more information on the event and how to get involved.

Courtesy of Scottish Tug of War

The Red Roses secured a total of 12 unanswered tries including a first-half hat-trick from Lichfield hooker Amy Cokayne.

Emily Scarratt (Photo: Inpho)

In a day of Women’s Six Nations firsts, Danielle Waterman also scored to land her 25^th try on her 25^th Six Nations appearance, while Wilson took her international career points total over a century, finishing the day with 115, as she shot to the head of the championship points scorers.

England now head to Dublin for a Six Nations grand slam finale, after Ireland secured a 7-12 victory against Wales earlier in the day at Cardiff Arms Park. With another bonus point win to their name, England top the Women’s Six Nations table one point ahead of their closest rivals going into the final week.

Head coach Simon Middleton said: “We’re thrilled with that performance. We had a clear picture about what we wanted to do, to play with intensity and tempo, and we delivered that for the most part.

Captain Sarah Hunter congratulates Amy Cokayne) (Photo: Inpho)

“It’s winner takes all against Ireland next week and that will be a totally different game which we’ve got to be prepared for. We’re under no illusions of how tough it’s going to be but if there’s ever a game you’d want to play as a rugby player it would be next week.”

Wilson began the scoring in the third minute from an Emily Scarratt pass and she had her second four minutes later when she was released by Harriet Millar-Mills.

Scotland No.8 Gemma Forsyth was sent to the sin bin in the 11th minute and soon after Cokayne was on the back of a driving maul to score her first of the afternoon before securing England’s bonus point after 20 minutes when she bundled over.

Waterman was then on the end of a flowing move three-minutes later to continue her fine record in the competition.

Harriet Millar-Mills takes the line-out (Photo: Inpho)

Wilson sealed her hat-trick in the 26th minute after receiving a long pass from Amber Reed and she showed her finishing instincts seven-minutes later. Cokayne scored her third try and her team’s eighth on the stroke of half-time after charging down a kick.

Wilson started the second period in the same vein as she raced away to cross for her fifth try five minutes after the break. On the hour mark the Richmond wing then became the first player to score six tries in a Women’s Six Nations match when she received another pass from Scarratt, her fourth assist to Wilson of the afternoon.

Scarratt crossed five minutes from time following an Alex Matthews offload and Wilson darted over again soon after to complete the scoring.

Of her seven-timer Wilson said: “It’s pretty amazing, I didn’t think I’d ever score three tries in a match let alone seven. It’s a credit to the team, I was out wide and the girls found me out there so I’m really proud of the team.”

England 64 – 0 Scotland
Tries: Wilson (7), Cokayne (3), Waterman, Scarratt
Conversions: Scarratt (2)

England match-day 23 against Scotland

15 Danielle Waterman (Bristol, 67 caps, McKenna (49))
14 Lydia Thompson (Worcester Valkyries, 30 caps)
13 Emily Scarratt (Lichfield, 65 caps)
12 Amber Reed (Bristol, 36 caps)
11 Kay Wilson (Richmond, 41 caps)
10 Emily Scott (Saracens, 20 caps, Burford (49))
9 La Toya Mason (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 63 caps, Blackburn (54))

1 Rochelle Clark (Worcester Valkyries, 121 caps, Cornborough (54))
2 Amy Cokayne (Lichfield, 24 caps, Fleetwood (54))
3 Justine Lucas (Lichfield, 18 caps, Bern (54))
4 Harriet Millar-Mills (Lichfield, 42 caps)
5 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 102 caps)
6 Alex Matthews (Richmond, 28 caps)
7 Marlie Packer (Bristol, 44 caps, Noel-Smith (54))
8 Sarah Hunter (Bristol, 89 caps, Cleall (60)) (c)

16 Vicky Fleetwood (Saracens, 58 caps)
17 Vickii Cornborough (Aylesford Bulls, 22 caps)
18 Sarah Bern (Bristol, 8 caps)
19 Poppy Cleall (Bristol, 11 caps)
20 Izzy Noel-Smith (Bristol, 28 caps)
21 Bianca Blackburn (Worcester Valkyries, 17 caps)
22 Rachael Burford (Aylesford Bulls, 64 caps)
23 Sarah McKenna (Saracens, 12 caps)

England Women Six Nations fixtures

England 26 – 13 France
Saturday 4 February, Twickenham Stadium

Wales 0 – 63 England
Saturday 11 February, Cardiff Arms Park

England 29 – 15 Italy
Saturday 25 February, Twickenham Stoop

England 64 – 0 Scotland
Saturday 11 March, Twickenham Stoop

Ireland v England
Friday 17 March, KO 8pm, live on Sky Sports Mix
Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin

Report courtesy of the RFU