Malcolm relishing Championships test

RACHEL MALCOLM has made rapid progress since swapping her hockey stick for a rugby ball. She only took up the sport in the summer of 2015 but will make her first start for Scotland Women in the Six Nations match against Ireland tomorrow (6.35pm).

Malcolm, 25, comes from a family with a strong background in union. Her father, Walter, played rugby for Glasgow while brothers Donald and James have represented Scotland at age-grade level, the latter signing a professional contract with Glasgow Warriors in March last year.

Thus, despite representing Scotland in hockey up to Under-21 level, there was always a probability that the forward, who plays her club rugby for English side Lichfield, might make the switch even if Malcolm herself had little time for the sport as a young girl.

Malcolm, who earned her first two caps off the bench in the World Cup qualifier against Spain in November, starts at hooker in the tournament opener and said: “In more recent years with James playing rugby at a high level I started to take more of an interest and then I started to play at Lichfield in the 2015/16 season. I went down at the start of pre-season and it is a great club. I was very lucky because the first rugby session I had I was surrounded by people with England caps while our coaching staff there is brilliant.

“I began training with Scotland last June, but I would not have believed that I would have been earning my third cap and starting in a Six Nations match by now if you had told me. Really, I am just excited to get out there and give it my best shot.”

Shade Munro’s side go into the match looking for their first win in the tournament since 2010 and centre Lisa Martin is skipper.