Latest news with #RachelMalcolm


Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Rollie insists Scots will brush off background noise and hit top form for World Cup challenge
Full-back Chloe Rollie insists Scotland's women have 'come back stronger' after uncertainty over contracts threatened to derail their World Cup preparations. Rollie, who was one of the first players to obtain a professional contract with Scottish Rugby in 2017, said a failure to conclude negotiations ahead of such a momentous occasion was not the 'best timing', and admitted it was 'tough' on some of her fellow team-mates. Several players are still waiting to hear whether their deals will be renewed post World Cup — an issue which captain Rachel Malcolm previously called 'unfair' and 'disruptive'. 'It's not the best situation to be in,' admitted Rollie. 'It's not the best timing, either. But as a squad, no matter what situation they're in, as individuals, we've managed to really pull together. 'We've always brushed off the negatives or the background noise. And we've just come together even stronger, to work as a squad and to get the results that we want as a team. 'We know what our staff deserve and we know what Bryan (Easson) deserves on his last competition.' Easson will leave his role as Scotland head coach at the end of the tournament, a move which Rollie insists was a blow. 'Personally, I'm absolutely gutted about it,' said the 30-year-old. 'I think it's just a shame, how it's worked out. As a group, we all love his work, love what he's done for us, love how much he's pushed us on. How much he's changed us as a squad. How professional he's made us. How he's lifted our standards. 'I think for him personally, it's the right thing that he needs to do. I think it's his time to move on. But it's just quite upsetting and disappointing the way that it has come about, with what's been going on in the background. And how we've also lost our attack coach as well.' Easson's departure was announced in July — just weeks ahead of the World Cup. Malcolm called the revelation a 'shock' and admitted it had been 'upsetting' so close to such a vital competition. Rollie agreed that it had been 'completely wrong', but insisted the decision had been taken out of Easson's hands. Asked whether she believed the decision to go was entirely of his own volition, the Jedburgh-born player said: 'I think not one hundred per cent, no. But it's just the way that the cycle of rugby is just now. It's the changes that are happening. They all have a knock-on effect. And that's just what's happened in this situation. 'I think the timing of it is completely wrong. But also with that being out of his hands, we don't hold that against him. It's the way it's worked out.' Rollie, who will play for Toulon Provence Mediterranee next season, says she's now 'excited' to get going ahead of Scotland's opening match against Wales next Saturday — and to re-write the wrongs of the previous World Cup in 2021. 'It's a massive opportunity,' she added. 'From the last World Cup, we kind of just felt like we turned up and were just a number. We just went through the motions. 'Now we want to go there and actually perform. We want to put our stamp on the world stage and put in performances that get us wins, not just performances we're happy with. More of getting over that finish line and getting the wins that we deserve.'


Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Scotland captain Malcolm insists 'disruptive' off-field issues are a thing of the past as squad is unveiled for Women's Rugby World Cup
Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm insists disruption over player contracts is now 'finished' as preparations continue for the upcoming Rugby World Cup. Concerns were raised last month when Malcolm alleged her players had been put in an 'unfair' position ahead of the competition — with off-field issues threatening to derail the build-up. Several Scotland players had been left in the dark as to whether they would have their contracts renewed post-World Cup, and Malcolm admitted it had been a 'disruptive influence'. Speaking at yesterday's squad announcement in St Andrews, Malcolm said: 'As far as anything is going to happen, I believe, yes, it's finished. 'Everything else is pretty irrelevant when you go out there and you get to sing your anthem and perform. 'Ultimately, the thing that we love to do is play rugby. The thing that we've always dreamt of doing is playing rugby at the World Cup with the thistle on our chest. It's so close now and the excitement around this is building, it's been building this whole year. 'It's going to be probably the most phenomenal event in women's rugby, potentially women's sport, for a very long time. And I think it's up to us now to go and make the most of that opportunity.' The tournament, which is being hosted in England, will be the biggest ever Women's World Cup, with 350,000 tickets already sold for the event. It marks another major milestone for the Scots, who qualified after finishing runners-up in the WXV2 competition last October. They will compete in Pool B alongside Canada, Wales and Fiji, and they get their campaign under way against the Welsh in Manchester on August 23. Whether Lana Skeldon makes an appearance, meanwhile, remains to be seen. Scotland's most capped player has been named in coach Bryan Easson's 32-woman squad — despite injuring her ankle in last week's defeat by Ireland. The hooker appeared to be a serious doubt for the campaign, after screaming out in pain when she was stretchered off in the first half of the match in Cork. Easson said Skeldon had undergone an MRI, had been looked at by doctors, and was 'available for the Wales game'. He said: 'She has recovered well from injuries in the past. She had a knee injury that we felt might keep her out of the Six Nations, but her ability to recover and her diligence around her rehab is great. We are delighted to have her available.' For her part, Skeldon was reluctant to put a timeframe on when she might make an appearance at this summer's tournament. The Scotland stalwart, who was wearing a moon boot at Thursday's press gathering, admitted she would 'see how the next few weeks go'. 'I don't think it's for me or anyone to put a date on it, but I am in the best hands,' she said. 'Obviously it's much more positive than I was expecting, because it wasn't great when it happened. I'll take it day by day and see how I get on. 'I've only got two weeks, it's a tight turnaround, but I'll give it my best shot. I'm a pretty resilient person, so we'll see how I go.' Concerns have also been raised for fellow hooker, Elis Martin, meanwhile, after the player attended Thursday's media briefing on crutches. It's understood that this was only a precautionary measure, with the player suffering a slight niggle. Elsewhere in Easson's selection, Bristol Bears' pair Elliann and Rhea Clarke have become the first set of Scottish sisters to be selected for the same Women's Rugby World Cup squad.


BBC News
07-08-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
How far Scotland can go at Women's World Cup?
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson has named his 32-player squad for the upcoming Women's World Cup in Rachel Malcolm leads a selection comprising 18 forwards and 14 backs for a Pool B campaign against Wales, Fiji and Lightning full-back Lucia Scott misses out, but Lana Skeldon has been selected despite the Bristol hooker - whose 81 appearances make her the most-capped member of the squad - leaving the field on a stretcher against Ireland on best showing at a Women's World Cup came in 1994 when they finished fifth on home soil in their tournament Scots failed to qualify for the 2014 and 2017 editions and didn't make it past the pool stage in do you make of Easson's squad? Do you think Scotland are well equipped this time round - and how far can they go?Let us know your thoughts


BBC News
31-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ramsay handed first Scotland start against Ireland
Venue: Virgin Media Park, Cork Date: Saturday, 2 August Kick-off: 14:30 BSTCoverage: Watch live on BBC iPlayer, app and online, live text coverage on BBC Sport website. Fly-half Hannah Ramsay will make a first start for Scotland in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Ireland on Edinburgh player, who made her debut in last week's defeat by Italy, will form a fresh half-back partnership with scrum-half Caity Mattinson in two of several changes to the starting line-up that played in Rollie comes in at full-back, while Lucia Scott moves from full-back to the pack, Anne Young and Alex Stewart are selected at loosehead prop and openside flanker respectively, with Rachel McLachlan switching to blindside and captain Rachel Malcolm moving into the second the bench, centre Beth Blacklock is poised for a first Test cap since the 2023 Six game at Virgin Media Park in Cork is Scotland's last Test before the Rugby World Cup gets under way later in the month, with Scotland's opening Pool B fixture coming against Wales in Salford on Saturday, 23 August. Scotland line-up Starting XV: Chloe Rollie (Toulon Provence Mediterranee), Rhona Lloyd (Sale Sharks), Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), Lisa Thomson (Trailfinders Women), Lucia Scott (Loughborough Lightning), Hannah Ramsay (Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh), Caity Mattinson (Trailfinders Women); Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning), Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears), Emma Wassell (Trailfinders Women), Rachel Malcolm, capt (Trailfinders Women), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Alex Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears).Replacements: Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning), Leah Bartlett (Sale Sharks), Molly Poolman (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonian), Adelle Ferrie (Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars), Eva Donaldson (Sale Sharks), Leia Brebner-Holden (Loughborough Lightning), Beth Blacklock (Saracens), Coreen Grant (Saracens).


BBC News
25-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scotland beaten by Italy in World Cup warm-up
Women's Rugby World Cup warm-up: Italy v ScotlandItaly 34 (20)Tries: D'Inca 3, Vecchini, Muzzo, Rigoni Cons: Sillari 2 Pens:Scotland 29 (5)Tries: Skeldon, Nelson, Gallagher 2, Martin Cons: Nelson 2 Scotland's difficult preparation for the Women's Rugby World Cup continued with a warm-up defeat by Italy in this week, captain Rachel Malcolm said her side had been put in an "unfair position" by a "very disruptive" build-up to the than half the squad face uncertainty over their contracts, while head coach Bryan Easson will step down after the World Cup - a decision Malcom described as "a shock" and "upsetting".Scotland, perhaps unsurprisingly, started slowly in northern Italy and went into half-time 15 points behind as Alyssa D'Inca crossed twice for hosts, in addition to tries from Vittoria Vecchini and Aura Bears' Lana Skeldon scored Scotland's only points of the opening period off the back of a powerful rolling side improved after the break and got themselves within three points thanks to Helen Nelson's try in the corner and Evie Gallagher's converted Italian replacement Beatrice Rigoni broke Scotland's defensive line to keep the visitors at arm's length, before some quick hands released D'Inca to complete her crashed over for her second try, but the visitors were unable to cross again in the limited time that Scots face Ireland in another warm-up in Cork on 2 August, before their World Cup opener against Wales on 23 August. Line-ups Italy: Granzotto, Muzzo, Sillari, Mannini, D'Inca, Stevanin, Stefan; Maris, Vecchini, Seye, Fedrighi, Duca, Sgorbini, Veronese, Scott, Lloyd, Wills, Thomson, Grant, Nelson, Brebner-Holden; Bartlett, Skeldon, Clarke, Wassell, Ferrie, Malcolm, McLachlan, Martin, Wright, Cockburn, Donaldson, Stewart, Mattinson, Ramsay, Aurelie Groizeleau.