A SQUAD of 30 players will convene at Oriam in west Edinburgh this [Saturday] morning for a two-day training camp ahead of the Scotland Women team’s final three re-arranged Six Nations matches against France at home on 24th October, Wales away on 31st October and Italy away on 5th December.
Bryan Easson, who was announced as interim head coach in place of Philip Doyle last month, has called Stirling County’s Evie Wills into the senior training squad for the first time. She is one of six uncapped players on the invite list, alongside Coreen Grant, Rachel Shankland, Anne Young, Evie Gallagher and Rachel Law.
Of the squad which started the Six Nations campaign before Covid struck, scrum-half Jenny Maxwell and winger Elizabeth Musgrove are unavailable due to injury, while Abi Evans and Lisa Cockburn are also unable to join this weekend’s camp due to local lockdown restrictions in the north east of England.
Bordeaux v Edinburgh: Cockerill urges team to keep eye on the prize
Edinburgh Rugby academy player tests positive for COVID-19
James Hook’s unusual new career path inspires kids to ‘Chase a Rugby Dream’
“I’ve been really impressed by the hard work the players have done during lockdown,” said Easson. “The individual preparations by our home-based players at Scotstoun, BT Murrayfield and Aberdeen Sports Village, along with the hard work from the exile players at their clubs, has made it a lot easier for us to now come together as a squad.
“The management group have been working hard ahead of our return to training and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Strength and Conditioning coach, Allan Macdonald, our Lead Physiotherapist, Jamie Coffey, and our Head of Women’s and Girls’ Rugby, Gemma Fay, for all their work over the past few weeks.
“It’s a credit to their hard work and professionalism that the squad are in such great condition ahead of our first camp.”
It has also been confirmed that Scottish Borders Academy skills coach Ross Miller will join Easson’s backroom staff as an assistant coach. He has previously worked with players such as Mairi McDonald and Louise McMillan in his time as Scotland Women U20s head coach in 2015, and more recently led the Scotland Men’s U18 programme.
“It’s a privilege to be asked to join the Scotland Women programme in such an exciting year for the squad,” said Miller.
“I’ve known Bryan for a long time now and we work well together, so I’m looking forward to supporting him and the rest of the coaching group in working towards our collective goal of achieving World Cup qualification.”
Scotland Women squad for training weekend, Oriam, 19-20 September 2020:
Forwards: Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning), Christine Belisle (Cartha Queens Park), Sarah Bonar (Gloucester / Hartpury), Siobhan Cattigan (Stirling County), Mairi Forsyth (Royal High Cougars), Jade Konkel (Harlequins), Megan Kennedy (Stirling County), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning), Rachel McLachlan (Darlington Mowden Park), Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill), Panashe Muzambe (Edinburgh University/Watsonians), Jodie Rettie (Saracens), Lana Skeldon (Darlington Mowden Park), Emma Wassell (Royal High Cougars), Molly Wright (Watsonians), Anne Young (Edinburgh University).
Backs: Megan Gaffney (Watsonians), Coreen Grant (Saracens), Rachel Law (Edinburgh University), Sarah Law (Darlington Mowden Park), Rhona Lloyd (Loughborough Lightning), Mairi McDonald (Hillhead Jordanhill), Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Chloe Rollie (Harlequins), Hannah Smith (Watsonians), Rachel Shankland (Stirling University), Lisa Thomson (Darlington Mowden Park), Evie Tonkin (Darlington Mowden Park), Evie Wills (Stirling County).
