Scotland side named for Vodafone Series opener against Wales
09/06/2024 06:02 AM
Scotland Women's Head Coach Bryan Easson, has announced the team set to take on Wales at Hive Stadium on Friday 6th September ahead of their return to WXV2 action later this month.
In the front row, Leah Bartlett will join forces with Scotland's all-time leading try-scoring hooker, Lana Skeldon, and tighthead prop Christine Belisle. Sarah Bonar returns to the second row after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during the Guinness Women's Six Nations earlier this year, pairing with Fi McIntosh.
The back row remains unchanged from Scotland’s 2024 Six Nations campaign, with captain Rachel Malcolm on the blindside, Alex Stewart on the openside, and Evie Gallagher at number eight.
Similarly the backline has a lot of names familiar from matches earlier in the year, with the half-back pairing of Helen Nelson at stand-off and Mairi McDonald at scrum-half and Bristol Bears duo Meryl Smith and Emma Orr in midfield. Coreen Grant, Francesca McGhie, and Chloe Rollie complete the starting lineup in the back-three positions. Scotland’s only Olympic Sevens representative, Lisa Thomson, is absent from the squad.
On the bench, Leia Brebner-Holden and Lucia Scott are poised for potential first caps. Among the forwards, long-time stalwart and Scotland’s first professional women’s player Jade Konkel returns after an ankle injury kept her out of this year's Six Nations. Louise McMillan also lines up having become available just this week.
Scotland last faced Wales during the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, securing a historic seventh consecutive Test victory and overcoming a 20-year losing streak in Cardiff with an 18-20 win.
TV Coverage will be on BBC iPlayer and BBC Alba.
Scotland: Chloe Rollie, Coreen Grant, Emma Orr, Meryl Smith, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Mairi McDonald; Leah Bartlett, Lana Skeldon, Christine Belisle, Fi McIntosh, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (capt), Alex Stewart, Evie Gallagher.
Replacements: Elis Martin, Anne Young, Elliann Clarke, Louise McMillan, Eva Donaldson, Jade Konkel, Leia Brebner-Holden, Lucia Scott.
Wales: Jenny Hesketh; Catherine Richards, Meg Webb, Kerin Lake, Jasmine Joyce; Robyn Wilkins, Keira Bevan (capt); Gwenllian Pyrs, Molly Reardon, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Natalia John, Gwen Crabb, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Gwennan Hopkins.
Replacements: Rosie Carr, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Alaw Pyrs, Alisha Butchers, Sian Jones, Lleucu George, Nel Metcalfe.
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