Future bright for Orr after teenager shines in first start
Scotland’s players and management team will still be wondering how they lost Saturday’s Tiktok Women’s Six Nations game in Wales, but one massive plus was the performance of teenager Emma Orr.
The 18-year-old Biggar centre – who turns 19 on Wednesday – was handed a full debut in front of a 4,875-strong crowd at Cardiff Arms Park, but she was not overawed by the occasion at all.
Orr played a big part in attack as Scotland built up a 19-7 lead after 42 minutes, but was helpless as the Welsh substitutes made a difference, got their team on the front foot and earned the hosts a 24-19 triumph in the end.
There are plenty of ‘what ifs’ for winless Scotland to ponder after this one, but whether Orr can handle this level of rugby is not something that needs to be pondered in the lead-up to taking on France at Scotstoun this coming Sunday in round three.
“I got the honour of presenting Emma Orr with her shirt on the morning of the game and I said at that time to the group ‘every now and then a special player comes along and makes you double take’ – and for me Emma has done that,” skipper Rachel Malcolm, 30, said of her young colleague.
“She has come into the squad and she has been phenomenal in training. We talk about translating training into performance and I thought she was outstanding in this game.
“She fronted up in every way and barely put a foot wrong for 80 minutes in her first start at 18, it is mental. She has a bright future.”
Head coach Bryan Easson, although just as frustrated as Malcolm with only heading back up the road with a losing bonus point, was pleased too by the performance of Orr and the other youngsters involved.
“We have come down to Wales and taken it to them, started an 18-year-old in Emma Orr at centre, started a 20-year-old in Shona Campbell at full-back and a 21-yearold at openside in Evie Gallagher – I thought they all did well,” he said.
“The future for us is really bright, these young ones are pushing for regular starts and I’m pleased for them all having stepped up to the plate with others out.”