Latest news with #ScotlandRugby
BBC News
15 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Scotland to face Italy in World Cup warm-up
Scotland will face Italy this summer as part of their preparations for the Women's Rugby World Easson's side begin their summer Test series away to the Italians in Viadana on Friday 25 July before facing Ireland at Virgin Media Park in Cork on Saturday 2 coach Easson says the warm-up matches will be "key in sharpening our focus and ensuring we're in the best shape possible" for the World Cup in open their World Cup campaign against Wales on 23 August and also take on Fiji and Canada in Group B.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Wassell back in Scotland fold after tumour surgery
Emma Wassell returns to the Scotland squad after missing all of the 2024-25 season following surgery to remove a tumour from her 67 times, the 30-year-old second row from Aberdeen is included in a 38-strong extended training group as preparations begin for the World Cup in England in Cunningham and Coreen Grant are back from injuries and there are places for the uncapped quartet of Aila Ronald, Hannah Ramsay, Hannah Walker and Meg was diagnosed with a benign tumour in September last year, with two procedures required to remove it."The health is very good," she told the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast in late April. "I feel ready to keep pushing on. "Mentally, I was worried about how I was going to feel doing contact but I'm ready to get stuck in." The squad will be in camp throughout June, with 32 making the cut for the tournament, where Scotland will take on Canada, Wales and Fiji in the pool stage."As we saw through this year's Six Nations, there are good players missing out on selection and I think that's testament to the depth we've developed, the consistency of performances, and the competitive standard being set week in and week out," said head coach Bryan Easson."As we move into this crucial preparation period, we're focused on sharpening every detail and pushing ourselves to the next levels. The months ahead are vital as we build towards the summer."We've named a strong, competitive group that blends hard-earned experience with exciting young talent."It's also fantastic to welcome back Emma Wassell, Coreen Grant, Hollie Cunningham, and Meg Varley, all of whom have worked hard to return from injury and are now fit and available for selection. Their return adds even greater strength and competition to the squad." Scotland training squad Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Gemma Bell, Becky Boyd, Sarah Bonar, Elliann Clarke, Hollie Cunningham, Lisa Cockburn, Eva Donaldson, Evie Gallagher, Adelle Ferrie, Jade Konkel, Rachel Malcolm, Elis Martin, Rachel McLachlan, Aila Ronald, Molly Poolman, Lana Skeldon, Alex Stewart, Emma Wassell, Molly Wright, Anne Leia Brebner-Holden, Beth Blacklock, Rhea Clarke, Coreen Grant, Rhona Lloyd, Caity Mattinson, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Rachel Philipps, Hannah Ramsay, Chloe Rollie, Lucia Scott, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Hannah Walker, Evie Wills, Meg Varley.
The Independent
7 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Scotland star Jamie Ritchie sure he ‘did all he could' to secure Lions selection
Scotland back-rower Jamie Ritchie insists he is comfortable with the feeling that he did everything he possibly could to put himself in with 'a real shout' for British and Irish Lions selection. The 28-year-old Edinburgh forward was disappointed not to be included in Andy Farrell's squad for the summer tour of Australia after bouncing back strongly this season from a tough start to 2024 when he lost the Scotland captaincy. Speaking for the first time since his Lions snub three weeks ago, Ritchie told the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast: 'Personally, I feel like I'd done all I could in terms of how I performed and stuff, so I was comfortable with that. 'At the end of the day, it's down to someone's opinion and decision-making and what they feel they need in their squad. At that point, it's outside of my control. For 2021, I feel like I was further away than I was this year, but I was more upset then. 'I'm a bit more mature now in terms of how I react to these things. Obviously, it would have been nice to have that moment, but I'm comfortable with the performances that I've put in to put myself in the mix. I said this to my wife because she was quite upset when we watched it together. 'I said to her, if you look at the position we were in a year ago after Six Nations, where it hadn't gone the way I wanted to in terms of selection and missing out on the captaincy and humming and hawing about whether or not I was going to go on the summer tour, if we'd said we'd be sitting here at the Lions announcement day, feeling like we were in with a real shout and then disappointed when it didn't happen, we would absolutely have taken it. 'That's the perspective that I'm taking on at the moment. I felt like I did all I could. The call didn't come, and that's OK.' Asked if he had been given any indication that he might be on a standby list, Ritchie said: 'I spoke to JD (Lions and Scotland coach John Dalziel) afterwards around some of the thinkings around selection. 'I've not heard about anything official, but I'm just trying to stay fit and concentrating on playing well for Edinburgh.' Scotland co-captain Rory Darge was in similarly philosophical mood to Ritchie over his own Lions snub, with the 25-year-old Glasgow flanker intent on using it as a 'motivator' to earn future inclusion. 'I know how much I put into this game and how much I put into preparing and going out and playing and putting my body through, so why should other people get to experience that?' said Darge, speaking on the same podcast. 'And I'm not saying that from a negative point of view, it's purely a positive point of view. 'I was delighted for the guys that are involved and it just was a bit of a motivator for me, really, and something to aspire to. 'You have to have that initial bit where you are gutted and you're like, 'why can't I be involved in that?' But then, really quickly you're able to be like, that's something to aspire to, that's something to hopefully one day be a part of.'
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Ritchie embracing Edinburgh jeopardy & Lions snubs
Young and carefree, Jamie Ritchie played his first game for Edinburgh on an October evening in Dublin in 2014. Gnarled and focused, on Saturday afternoon in Pretoria he might play his Edinburgh win against the Bulls in the quarter-final of the United Rugby Championship - it's 3-2 Edinburgh in the last five meetings with all of them settled by eight points or fewer - then the story continues. If they lose, the story ends. Eleven years, 130-something appearances and done. Next stop for the 28-year-old back-row: a frenzied, and ultimately, successful bid for a place in the quarter-final, Ritchie feels like Edinburgh have effectively been playing knockout rugby for weeks."Yeah, it does feel a bit like that," the 28-year-old says on the Scotland Rugby Podcast."I think it means we're well prepared for the actual knockout rugby that we're playing now. We've been playing well with a little bit of jeopardy. "In games that we know we need to win, we've stepped up and played well, so that builds confidence."We've had a bit of jeopardy in the last few games and we've really had to lean into that. A lot of the games we've been playing have been physical encounters. We've needed to step up."We know the Bulls are coming with a physical threat and we always seem to step up in those games, so that's something we'll be looking to do again at the weekend. "Loftus is a hard place to go to but it's not necessarily a place that they've not been beaten at."Without the tangible rewards to show for it, Ritchie has been one of Edinburgh's great players of the professional era. You might say that his time with the club has been dramatic from the mid-December 2015, Millie, his girlfriend then and his wife now, went into labour four weeks prematurely. It was a Friday night. Ritchie was due to make his first start for Edinburgh the following day in a Challenge Cup game at London was 2am when the maternity ward staff told Ritchie that the baby's arrival wasn't imminent and that he should get some sleep, go to London, play his game and come back. He slept for two hours, made the plane, and reached into his pocket for his phone before started to ring, 'Millie calling...'. Oscar had been born. Ritchie was 19 years the whole family have a connection with the club that runs deep. You could see that on the night he said his goodbye to the Hive when coming off the bench in a must-win game against Ulster a few weeks back."Very emotional, but a really nice night to finish it on," he says. "The recognition from the crowd when I came on was super-special. "I feel really privileged and proud to have been a part of this club for such a long time. Hopefully, I've shown that I care through the way that I played and hopefully the fans have picked up on that." Ritchie has been playing some outstanding rugby this season, a return to the high-aggression, high-impact stuff that elevated him to the captaincy of a lull, his game has been in such good order that he put himself in the conversation for Lions selection, if not actually ultimately in the squad."Personally, I feel like I'd done all I could in terms of how I performed, so I was comfortable with that," he says on missing out on Andy Farrell's group. "It's out of my control. For 2021 tour I feel like I was further away than I was this year, but I was more upset then. I'm a bit more mature now in terms of how I react to these things. They might come around, they might not."I said this to my wife because she was quite upset when we watched it together. I said to her, 'if you'd looked at us in the position we were in a year ago after the Six Nations, where it hadn't gone the way I wanted to in terms of selection and missing out on the captaincy and humming and hollering about whether or not I was going to go on a summer tour."'If we'd said we'd be sitting here at the Lions announcement day feeling like we were in with a real shout and then disappointed when it didn't happen, we would absolutely have taken it'. That's kind of the perspective I'm taking on it."He's bound for Perpignan, crossing his fingers every day that when he gets there they will still be a Top 14 team. They are in a relegation play-off spot with two games to focus, though, is not on France or the Lions, it's on Edinburgh and Pretoria. The end - or maybe not? The last act - or is there another twist? Whatever happens, the greatest certainty is that Ritchie will empty himself out there.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Fagerson agrees new long-term deal at Glasgow Warriors
Scotland back-row Matt Fagerson is vowing "to keep pushing and keep developing" after signing a contract extension that will keep the 26-year-old at Glasgow Warriors for another three years. Fagerson has been with the Scotstoun club since 2016 and made his international debut in has scored 24 tries in 126 appearances for Glasgow and his tally of Scotland caps now stands at 55."I really want to push myself and win more trophies, not only with Glasgow but for Scotland as well," Fagerson told the Warriors' website., external "I know I've got more to give and more levels I want to reach in my own game."I came in here with a lot of ambition but possibly lacking in physical ability or rugby smarts, and this club has shaped me into the person and player I am today. "I'm nowhere near the finished article, though – I want to keep pushing on and keep developing in all aspects of my game."The [United Rugby Championship] title win in Pretoria last season is obviously right up at the top in terms of highlights from my time here so far – the manner in which we did it and the group that we did it with was something I'll remember for the rest of my life."Head Coach Franco Smith added: "Matt's pride at representing this club shines through in each of his performances."His ability to play across the back-row is a valuable asset to our squad, whilst his ball-carrying ability allows him to provide a true point of difference whenever he is on the field."He is a role model to our young Scottish forwards coming through our academy system, and we look forward to working closely with him over the next few years."
