Head coach Bryan Easson has made a single change to his starting XV ahead of their second Pool B match at the Rugby World Cup against Fiji.
Elis Martin comes into the front row to make her first Rugby World Cup start at hooker, packing down between loosehead Leah Bartlett and tighthead Elliann Clarke. Martin impressed off the bench in the emphatic win over Wales last weekend.
The second row remains unchanged, with Emma Wassell and Sarah Bonar continuing their partnership. Captain Rachel Malcolm starts again at blindside flanker, joined in the back row by Rachel McLachlan on the openside and Evie Gallagher at No.8.
The backline is also unchanged from the victory over Wales. Scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden, who scored her first Scotland try last weekend, resumes her partnership with fly-half Helen Nelson. Lisa Thomson and Emma Orr continue in midfield, while the back three features Chloe Rollie, Rhona Lloyd and Francesca McGhie, who scored a hat-trick against Wales.
Easson has again opted for a 6:2 split on the bench. Adelle Ferrie and Anne Young are in line for their Rugby World Cup debuts if they take the field. They are joined among the forwards by Molly Wright, Lisa Cockburn, Eva Donaldson and Alex Stewart. Caity Mattinson and Beth Blacklock provide cover in the backs.
Scotland: Chloe Rollie, Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Leia Brebner-Holden; Leah Bartlett, Elis Martin, Elliann Clarke, Emma Wassell, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (capt), Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher.
Replacements: Molly Wright, Anne Young, Lisa Cockburn, Adelle Ferrie, Eva Donaldson, Alex Stewart, Caity Mattinson, Beth Blacklock.
1 response
A bit conflicted here thinking do we really need to field such a strong team against Fiji when our biggest contests come later against thinking, if we lose this, we could be out. Realistically I think the coach has probably called this right, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more rotation on the starting side with a really strong bench. Fiji have run the USA and Spain fairly close recently and will be massively up for this game so can’t be underestimated, but as long as we get the set piece basics and, more importantly, the kicking game right, we should win reasonably comfortably. I just hope we don’t lose key players to injury when, to avoid the inevitable defeat to England, we probably have to beat Canada next week.