NUMBERS GAME
Scotland team excited by prospect of record crowd
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson wants his players to embrace playing in front of a record home Women’s Six nations crowd tomorrow evening when Ireland come to Edinburgh on Super Saturday.
last year, 3,988 fans were present at the daM Health Stadium for the England match but over 4,000 tickets have already been sold for the upcoming Irish clash.
a crowd of 3,638 watched the Scots end a 12-match losing streak at the Edinburgh venue six days ago versus Italy. now, the ground should be rocking come kick-off at 7.30pm tomorrow.
It may not be anywhere near the world-record crowd of 53,000-plus that England and France will play in front of at twickenham earlier on the same day as they battle it out for the title and a Grand Slam, but getting up past 4,000 is an important milestone for women’s rugby in this country.
certainly, those who remember watching Scotland play in front of a few hundred supporters at lasswade’s Hawthornden ground a few years back and then being first on the bill in double-headers involving the men’s Under-20 team at Broadwood Stadium in cumbernauld after that in front of attendances of a similar size will be happy about the news.
Professional contracts have now been handed out, the current squad has some great characters in it, Rachel Malcolm speaks very well and is a good leader and a wider audience are now starting to become engaged not just in women’s rugby worldwide, but in women’s rugby here.
the one sure-fire way to keep that engagement growing is for the team to keep picking up victories, something the squad are determined to do against winless Ireland.
‘It is exciting,’ Easson said about the expected crowd numbers. ‘the crowd last week was exceptional, there was a great noise and a great family atmosphere and I know the players really enjoyed it.
‘they talk about the energy of walking up the tunnel and back to the changing rooms and the support they get there.
‘Walking through there pre-game on to the pitch gives them a real buzz, while I know that post-game they love spending time with the fans there signing autographs, talking selfies and literally giving them the kit off their backs!
‘the energy that the crowd brings, it is like a 16th player for us and it is great motivation for us knowing that there will be a record crowd there on Saturday cheering us on.
‘and for anyone who hasn’t got their tickets yet, come along because it’ll be a great spectacle.’
Skipper Malcolm, the back-row, added: ‘our fans have been a constant source of support through the highs and lows, so to get the opportunity to run out in front of a home record crowd in the last game of the Six nations is a huge boost.
‘We will do everything in our power to make them proud on Saturday.’
a partisan home crowd can sometimes fuel an away team to cause an upset and bottom of the table Ireland will be looking to do just that.
‘We’re looking forward to a big occasion with a record crowd expected in Edinburgh on Saturday night, we’re hugely motivated,’ said visiting head coach Greg McWilliams.
and a wary Easson added: ‘of course, Ireland will go after us and will be desperate to get their first win of the tournament.
‘they’ll want to finish the championship on a high, but so do we. We have worked ever so hard through ups and downs this last year and I think we got what we deserved last week.
‘the work that has been put in over the year got us to that point, but we want to keep building.
‘We haven’t really concentrated at all on Ireland this week, we have been concentrating on our own performance. If we get that performance right, then the outcome will take care of itself.’
as Scotland look to secure two wins in a Six nations campaign for the first time since 2017, Easson has made just one change to the side that made sure of the bonus-point triumph over Italy last time out.
lisa thomson is back with GB Sevens, so 20-year-old Emma orr returns in the 13 jersey having recovered from a concussion that occurred in the France game nearly two weeks ago.
Scotland: Chloe Rollie; Coreen Grant, Emma Orr, Meryl Smith, Francesca McGhie; Helen Nelson, Mairi McDonald; Leah Bartlett, Lana Skeldon, Christine Belisle, Jade Konkel-Roberts, Louise McMillan, Rachel Malcolm (C), Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher. Subs: Jodie Rettie, Anne Young, Elliann Clarke, Eva Donaldson, Eilidh Sinclair, Caity Mattinson, Beth Blacklock, Liz Musgrove.