Bryan Easson names Scotland squad to defend WXV 2 title
Scotland will travel to South Africa in September to defend their WXV 2 title, kicking off their campaign on Saturday 28 September against last year’s runners-up on points difference Italy at DHL Stadium.
They will then play their next two games at Athlone Stadium, facing Japan on Saturday 5 October and Australia on Saturday 12 October.
Three players who represented Scotland U20 during the Six Nations Summer Series have earned themselves a call-up to the senior squad for the upcoming Test fixtures.
Aila Ronald, Lucia Scott, and Leia Brebner-Holden all represented the age-group side in the inaugural Summer Series in Parma and will make the step up ahead of WXV.
Alongside them, uncapped Rachel Philipps has also been called up. Philipps represented Edinburgh in the Celtic Challenge, and signed for Premiership Women’s Rugby side Sale Sharks ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Harlequins forwards Jade Konkel and Sarah Bonar both return to the Scotland squad following injury, with Konkel expected to make her first appearance since WXV 2 in 2023.
Lisa Thomson, fresh from representing Team GB Sevens at her second Olympic Games, makes her return to the XVs game and is joined in the Scotland squad by a further 12 backs.
In the 30-player squad, 25 players are currently at clubs in the English PWR league. Six Loughborough Lightning players are included as well as five players from 2024 runners-up Bristol Bears.
Last season’s league debutantes Leicester Tigers and Trailfinders Women both have three players in the squad, while champions Gloucester-Hartpury and Saracens are each represented by two players.
Philipps and Mairi McDonald are the sole Sale Sharks and Exeter Chiefs representatives respectively, and Konkel and Bonar are the two players swapping the Harlequins quarters for their national jersey this autumn.
Prior to their departure to South Africa, Scotland will make history in their warm-up fixtures. After hosting this year’s WXV 2 counterparts Wales at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Friday 6 September, Scotland Women will face Fiji for the first time ever.
Fijiana, who are competing in WXV 3 this year, will line up against Bryan Easson’s side at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium on Saturday 14 September.
This year's WXV adds the importance of vital preparation for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, which will be held in England from 22 August until 27 September. Register your interest for tickets to the biggest Women's Rugby World Cup to date here.
Tickets for WXV 2 are available now and are sold per round, starting at R35 for adults. Find out more and book your tickets here.
Scotland Women's squad for WXV 2
Forwards
Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers)
Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)
Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)
Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears)
Lisa Cockburn (Unattached)
Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)
Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears)
Jade Konkel (Harlequins)
Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning)
Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning)
Fiona McIntosh (Saracens)
Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier)
Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears)
Aila Ronald (University of Edinburgh)*
Alex Stewart (Corstorphine Cougars)
Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning)
Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning)
Backs
Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)*
Coreen Grant (Saracens)
Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders)
Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs)
Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers)
Rhona Lloyd (GB 7s/ Stade Bordelais)
Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning)
Emma Orr (Bristol Bears)
Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks)*
Lisa Thomson (GB 7s/Ealing Trailfinders)
Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders)
Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester-Hartpury)*
Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)
*Uncapped
Latest Comments
Well I didnt see Aus bossing the Wales team around in the forwards let alone SA or Arg. Ill bet NZ dominates the scrums.
Go to commentsOkay, fair points in here. Agree Razor isn't transparent. How quickly the climate changes from one regime to another. I'm sorry but when I refer to "human values" I'm alluding to Razor prancing around like a peacock at the 2023 RWC, knowing he had had the job but going there to smirk while Fozz went about his business. What need was there of that when Razor had already got the nod?
Besides, that's why caring employers don't put their employees through that spin-dry cycle following redundancy, although Fozz would have relished the opportunity to ride the waves to redemption. He had come within a whisker. I'm guessing Fozz's contract wouldn't have allowed him to terminate employment, glory of RWC aside. Now, I'm not saying fora second that Fozz was a fine head coach because he had erred like Razor is with selections across the board.
The captaincy debacle is just that, so agree with that. More significantly for me, Barrett has the unenviable record of collecting two red cards in test rugger — the most anyone has. His 2nd test against the Boks was questionable, considering the lock hadn't carried the ball until after the 60th minute. In both Boks affairs, he was hardly visible as a leader.
DMac is a Hobson's choice. You can have a "unique" kicking game but if the others are not on the same page, is it worth anything? Player, selection, and/or head coaching issue? For me it's all 3. I've not religiously watched Super Rugby Pacific matches but I did see how the Fijian Drua had homed in on DMac at The Tron. He was rattled and even started complaining to the ref. That's where we part ways with "aggression". All pooches are ferocious behind their owner's fenced property. DMac enjoys that when he has the comfort of protection from the engine room. The pooch is only tested when it wanders outside the confines of the yard on to the street to face other mongrels. Boks were going to be the litmus test, although no home fan saw the Pumas coming. At best, a bench-minutes player.
Leon MacDonald. Well, besides debating the merits of his prowess as "attacking guru", it doesn't override one simple fact — Razor chose his stable of support coaches. Its starts and ends there. If MacD didn't slot into the equation, Razor is accountable.
Why appoint a specialist when you're not going to listen to him, especially if you have an engine-room background? Having fired him, Razor looks even more clueless now than ever with his backline, never mind attacking. Which raises the pertinent question? Which of his other favoured coaches have assumed the mantle of backline/attacking coach? (Hansen/Ellison?) If so, why is Razor not dangling them over burning coals?
"His [MacD's] way might be great for some team, maybe in another country, and with the right people." Intriguing because he has led his team in his own country's premier competition to victory against a number of franchise players who are in the ABs squad that had failed to make the cut after a rash of losses and Razor's "home". You see, it's such anomalies that make the prudent question the process. All it does is make Razor look just like another member of the old boys' network. Appreciate the engagement.