Latest news with #SummerTest
Scotsman
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Very disruptive': Scotland prepare for World Cup under huge cloud as off-field matters dominate agenda
Malcolm gives telling insight into mood of camp in wake of Easson departure Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There is a cloud hanging over women's rugby in Scotland on the eve of the Rugby World Cup, with national team skipper Rachel Malcolm stating the preparations have been significantly disrupted due to off-field issues. The squad are in Italy just now preparing for a Summer Test match in Viadana on Friday evening and there should be excitement in the air, with the first game at the showpiece event coming up on August 23 versus Wales in Manchester. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, matters off the pitch are sadly top of the agenda. It was announced last Friday that head coach Bryan Easson's will be leaving after the tournament and the players remain locked in ongoing discussions with Scottish Rugby over contracts. Rachel Malcolm and her Scotland teammates face Italy on Friday. | SNS Group / SRU Easson has been in his role since 2020, but it was announced in a press release last Friday via the Scottish Rugby Union that he will not be in post come October. Asked if she had known about that news for some time, Malcolm said: 'Actually, I haven't been aware of it for too long, it was probably similar timings to you guys [the media] finding out, so it's obviously a shock. 'I think, for us as players, the timing of it was quite upsetting. What we have achieved in the time that Bryan has been in charge is pretty spectacular. I think the opportunity to go and do his career justice at this World Cup is definitely something that's driving us as players.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Not ideal prep ahead of World Cup' Current squad members have held talks with the governing body about their contracts post-tournament, but nothing has been resolved fully as yet and Malcolm added: 'It's not ideal prep whatsoever for a World Cup. It's been very disruptive. 'It's made my job harder as my ethos as a captain is to make my players feel like superwomen. I also want to make them feel valued and make them feel like they belong. The processes which have gone on behind the scenes have definitely done almost the opposite of those three things. 'It's definitely made my job a little bit tougher.' Bryan Easson will leave his post in October. | SNS Group Easson, whose current contract was running out after the World Cup, says that discussions over his future were 'sticky'. 'We have been in discussions for a long time just to see what's happening and it's been sticky,' the man who has worked at Scottish Rugby for 25 years in various roles admitted. 'I had a conversation with Alex [Williamson, the CEO] three or four weeks ago and, with my contract running out, it was felt that it was the right time to move on and that was a conversation between two adults. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The timing of discussions and decisions are always difficult, especially when you're coming into a Rugby World Cup. I think that was probably more of a frustration than anything'. In terms of the Italy match, second-row Emma Wassell will play for Scotland for the first time in 15 months after recovering from a tumour in her chest.
BBC News
24-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
BBC to show Scotland Summer Test against Italy
Scotland's opening Summer Test match against Italy tomorrow - as part of their preparations for next month's women's Rugby World Cup - will be showed live on BBC ALBA and BBC Easson's side travel to the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Viadana on Friday, 25 July (kick-off 18:30 BST) before taking on Ireland at Virgin Media Park in Cork (Saturday, 2 August ) as they ramp up for their World Cup opener against Wales on 23 who announced earlier this week he would be leaving his role as head coach at the end of the upcoming tournament, says these games will be "crucial in sharpening our focus" for the World Cup."Playing two high-quality teams, who pushed us hard during the Six Nations, away from home presents exactly the kind of competitive challenge we need at this stage," he added."It's a fantastic opportunity to put our systems under pressure and continue building cohesion within the squad. Every minute we spend together in this pre-season phase is invaluable."Coverage will begin ten minutes before kick-off at 18:20, with former Scotland scrum-half Rachel Law joining Iona Whyte on commentary.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scotland must beat Samoa 'in emphatic fashion'
Summer Test: Samoa v Scotland Venue: Eden Park, Auckland Date: Friday, 18 July Time: 08:35 BSTCoverage: Watch on BBC iPlayer, video coverage and live text updates on the BBC Sport website & app Scotland must beat Samoa in "emphatic fashion" if they are to salvage their summer tour, according to former Glasgow Warriors scrum-half Colin Townsend's side beat the Maori All Blacks 29-26 in the first game of their trip before being soundly beaten by Fiji in Suva last was a punishing match in terms of the result, the collisions and also world ranking points. Scotland's hopes of a favourable draw for the 2027 World Cup took a significant spoke earlier this week about finishing on a high and Gregor says they not only have to win but win in style."Win, first and foremost," he told the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast. "And in emphatic fashion."The damage has been done to the world rankings, the impact on the World Cup, these sort of things." Gregor says it is also an opportunity for certain players to push themselves to the front of the queue for opportunities in the autumn."It's now about looking at where can they make some improvements?" he said. "And then looking a bit bigger picture, where are the potential combinations? "Where are the potential guys that are really going to step up and say 'right, when called upon, I'm going to be in the mix for a starting position, or at least a squad position."A second defeat for Scotland is "not worth thinking about" and Gregor warned that Samoa have the ability to hurt Scotland if the tourists fall below their best level."You're back in Auckland, playing Samoa, who don't offer the same threats as Fiji but who still have enough quality to make it uncomfortable if you get it wrong," he said."The vultures are always circling, but coming back from this tour, you'd hope you'd get a couple of good wins and unity has grown in the squad."Two losses is not worth thinking about." Samoa playing first game of 2025 Townsend has made five changes to his starting line-up following the defeat by Tom Jordan and back row Jamie Ritchie picked up injuries in Suva, Cameron Redpath also misses out, lock Marshall Sykes drops to the bench, while wing Darcy Graham has been called up by the British and Irish prop Rory Sutherland and hooker Ewan Ashman start before they head to Australia to swell the depleted Lions Steyn moves from left to right wing as Arron Reed comes in at 11, while Rory Hutchinson and Stafford McDowall make up a new centre Brown comes into the second row and Andy Onyeama-Christie takes over at blind-side who pulled out of their 2024 northern hemisphere tour due to near-bankruptcy, are playing their first competitive match this have also had to relinquish home advantage after the western grandstands of Apia Park were condemned for urgent demolition, although they should have a significant vocal support in Auckland - a city with an estimated 135,000 Samoan they lost heavily to Japan and Fiji last year, Samoa also defeated Tonga, United States, Spain and top-tier Italy to sit between Wales and Japan at 13th in the World Rugby rankings - six spots behind the the Scots have only lost twice and won 10 of their meetings, including 34-0 at their most recent at the 2019 World Cup, Samoa's last victory came during the previous Lions tour of Australia.
