Six Nations boost for Scots as Konkel returns after shoulder injury
THE Scotland Women’s team have been boosted by the return from injury of Jade Konkel as they prepare for a Six Nations Championship in which they have realistic hopes of recording a first victory since 2010.
Konkel, the country’s only full-time female professional, has only just returned to action after recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
In her absence, Scotland were only narrowly beaten by Spain in a two-leg play-off for this year’s Rugby World Cup. So, with her back in the ranks, they should have a good chance of winning at least one of their three home games.
All three will be at Broadwood Stadium, beginning a fortnight today, the eve of the Scotland-Ireland match in the men’s Six Nations.
Wales and Italy will also visit the Cumbernauld ground, where the women’s internationals will be staged as double-headers with the men’s under-20 fixtures.
Konkel, the Hillhead-Jordanhill forward, is part of a 32-woman squad for the championship announced yesterday by head coach Shade Munro, with those who took part against the Spanish forming the bulk of the group.
Murrayfield Wanderers’ stand-off Lisa Martin is again named as captain.
The squad will meet up in London on Sunday for a three-day training camp that will culminate in a game against Aylesford Bulls, one of England’s leading club sides.
“The Women’s Six Nations is a great platform to develop the squad and benchmark progress as we work towards closing the gap with world-class nations,” Munro said.
“We’ve added more training camps and competitive games this season to better prepare both the new and experienced players for the task ahead.
“The structures Scottish Rugby has put in place to support players and release their full potential are also making a difference and we took huge positives from our two matches against Spain in autumn.
“We competed for the whole 80 minutes in both games and developed our defence and attack. The players took confidence from that because they can see the improvement.”
Scotland squad for Six Nations Championship: Backs:
C Collie (Bletchley Ladies), A Evans (Hillhead-Jordanhill), M Gaffney (Edinburgh Univ), L Harris (Melrose), G Inglis (RHC Cougars), S Law (Murrayfield Wands/Edinburgh Univ), R Lloyd, L Martin (both Murrayfield Wands), J Maxwell (Lichfield), H Nelson, C Rollie, E Sinclair (all Murrayfield Wands), L Thomson (Edinburgh Univ).
Forwards:
T Balmer (Worcester), S Bonar (Lichfield), R Cook (Murrayfield Wands), K Dougan (Edinburgh Univ), K Dunbar (RHC Cougars), J Forsyth, J Konkel, H Lockhart (all Hillhead Jordanhill), R Malcolm (Lichfield), D McCormack (Aylesford Bulls), L McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill), S McMillan (Cartha Queen’s Park), L O’Donnell (Worcester), L Park, L Robertson (both Murrayfield Wands), L Skeldon, L Smith (both Hillhead Jordanhill), A Stodter (Saracens), E Wassell (Murrayfield Wands)