Scotland have “pushed aside” the off-field issues that have blighted their Women’s Rugby World Cup build-up as they prepare to face Wales in their tournament opener on Saturday, says head coach Bryan Easson.
The announcement of Easson’s impending departure after the tournament, coupled with acrimonious contract negotiations between the players and Scottish Rugby, have caused friction in the weeks leading into the tournament.
However, the departing coach says those issues have not distracted his team from the task in hand.
“We’ve pushed it aside,” Easson said. “We have been firmly focused on this Rugby World Cup.
“We’re not looking beyond this game, we’re not looking at anything that’s come before, we’re not looking at anything that’s coming after, it’s this game. If we take our eye off this game, we could fail.
“So the focus has been on this is what we’re going to do, looking at the opposition, analysing the opposition. Scotland vs Wales in the World Cup game, that is 100% the focus.”
Experienced hooker Lana Skeldon has been passed fit to face Wales on Saturday at Salford City Stadium.
The 31-year-old has recovered from the ankle injury she suffered in Scotland’s final warm-up match against Ireland three weeks ago.
Her World Cup participation had been in doubt but the most capped player in Scotland’s 32-player squad starts in the front row between props Leah Bartlett and Elliann Clarke.
Sarah Bonar returns to the starting line-up to partner Emma Wassell in the second row while captain Rachel Malcolm is joined in the back row by openside Rachel McLachlan and number eight Evie Gallagher, who will make her Rugby World Cup debut.
Scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden is also poised for her first appearance in the tournament and will form the half-back pairing with fly-half Helen Nelson, while centres Lisa Thomson and Emma Orr continue their midfield partnership.
Full-back Chloe Rollie will line up between wingers Rhona Lloyd and another World Cup debutant, Francesca McGhie, in the Pool B game against a side with whom Scotland have a fierce rivalry.
Coach Bryan Easson has opted for a 6:2 split of forwards and backs on the bench, with experienced pair Jade Konkel and Molly Wright among the pack replacements.
Wales co-captain Alex Callender – a doubt after injuring her ankle against Australia earlier this month – has been passed fit to face Scotland.
The influential back-rower leads a side showing five personnel and one positional switch from their second Test defeat in Sydney.
Scotland and Wales have played out a succession of tight encounters in recent times – most notably at the World Cup in 2021, when Kiera Welsh slotted an 84th-minute penalty to secure a crucial Welsh victory.
While most are expecting the latest meeting to go to the wire once again, Scotland captain Malcolm says her team can not afford to go into the game with that mindset.
“We can’t just think it’s going to be the same again, because it will be,” said Malcolm.
“It’ll be that self-fulfilling prophecy. So all we can focus on is what we want to achieve.
“We’ve been super clear in the last couple of weeks about how we want to play against Wales, what we can influence. And I think that’s all we can do in that moment. And I’m very much hoping for not a seesaw battle and not a tight game.
“It’s something that everyone else likes to talk about, but we’re definitely talking about the opportunities we can take. And that’s got to be our focus going into the game.”