Scottish trio carrying the hopes of a nation after French lessons

Konkel, Thomson and Rollie tell Kate Rowan in Lille moving abroad has given them confidence

Aquiet revolution is bubbling in Lille. The city may not have the same global rugby reputation as those further south, such as Toulouse or Clermont, but Lille Metropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois is one of the powerhouses of the women’s game. Three young Scotland internationals moved to play in northern France as professionals and Jade Konkel, Lisa Thomson and Chloe Rollie are making it their mission to pass on what they have learnt to the Scottish camp.

This is, however, far from a covert behind-enemy-lines mission as a large degree of cooperation between the Lille club and the Scottish Rugby Union has helped to shape this innovative experiment.

Konkel, Rollie and Thomson could appear to the outsider as three exchange students in this university city with their youthful enthusiasm and quick-witted banter, while describing parcels of porridge and Scottish Blend tea sent from home. Yet, one has barely to scratch the surface to meet three dedicated and highly focused professional athletes. Being part of the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy has afforded them professional status, being paid a monthly salary, while the French club pay for their shared flat and award modest win bonuses.

Scotland have, in recent years, been regarded as the poor relation of the Women’s Natwest Six Nations as they were the only side not to qualify for last August’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland, but with full-time coach Shade Munro employed and a growing number of under-age players benefiting from the same academy structure as their male counterparts, and now with these French lessons, Scottish women’s rugby is looking to become more competitive.

Full-back Rollie, 22, and centre Thomson, 20, are having to put studies on hold, but the benefits of training, playing and living as a professional far outweigh the sacrifices of moving to another country or a curtailed social life.

“I don’t think you give up anything, because it is something you want to do for a job,” says Rollie. “You don’t have much social time but if you are with the team a lot, that I suppose is social time. You are training a lot and have structure every day.”

Thomson adds: “You have spare time to recover, to do food prep. When I was in university and going to lectures and tutorials, you had training at night time. You had to make your food then try to recover at the same time. The extra time is such a benefit.”

Much hilarity is elicited from the players around the area of food preparation, as Konkel, who at 24 has put a social-work career on pause, is very much the maternal figure and is the selfproclaimed “Tupperware queen”, rising before her two team-mates each morning to prepare soup and smoothies.

It is again with laughter that Konkel, best known as a dynamic No8, describes herself as a “versatile back” as she plays in the second row for the French league leaders, while she has been moved toward the front row in recent Test matches.

England Women may be regarded as having one of the most professional set-ups, but what the French have is a much bigger support base. Six Nations games attract upwards of 10,000 to the