Wright expects reaction from bruised Ireland
Scotland hooker insists England hammering will have no bearing
SCOTLAND will not pay any attention to Ireland’s hammering by England as they prepare for a huge Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash in Belfast on Saturday, says forward Molly Wright. The Irish shipped 13 tries in an 88-10 defeat to the Red Roses but had beaten Wales earlier in the campaign and pushed Italy close.
Much as Scotland were frustrated at their own performance against England, Wright knows Ireland will feel the same.
The Sale Sharks forward said: “It wasn’t reflective of them as a team.
“They had a couple of key players missing and having been on the end of a defeat like that you come back wanting to fight so it’s an opportunity for them to finish things on a high but so do we.”
After three games on the bounce, Scotland’s players have had a lighter week with only one full training day.
Former Watsonians player Wright remains confident that is enough for them to fix the issues that arose in the win over Italy.
She added: “There were things that we identified out there on the pitch that we know we can do better and are easily fixable.
“Ideally this weekend you see us in fifth gear and we can really go for it.”
Wright, who grew up in New Zealand, made her Scotland debut against Spain shortly after qualifying on residency in 2020.
During this campaign, the 32-yearold has found herself packing down both at hooker and at loosehead prop.
While other players strive to rid themselves of the ‘utility player’ tag, it’s something that Wright is embracing.
“It’s how I sell myself,” she said.
“I prepare for both. I play more hooker for my club and I’m utilised more as a loosehead for Scotland.
“That gives us flexibility that I’m comfortable in the technical aspects of both roles.”
Wright explained that each week, she prepares for both roles.
A big ask in any position at international level, but particularly with the demands of the front-row and the specific requirements of throwing in at the lineout if selected at hooker.
Wright added: “There are some challenges to it but if I am going to market myself as a utility player I need to be able to do both.
“I’m pretty confident in the technical components of, say, switching to throwing. The mindset in the open doesn’t change – you have to make your tackles, you have to be moving at speed and you have to carry with intent.”
Wright was part of the squad that played at the 2021 World Cup played
the following year in New Zealand due to the pandemic.
While she admitted that was a special occasion and doubly so for Wright who grew up on New Zealand’s south island she isn’t thinking about next year’s tournament, for which Scotland are all-but certain to qualify should they win on Saturday.
She said: “To play at a World Cup was an incredible achievement and to be able to do it where I grew up was pretty special.”
With England and France among those already qualified for next year’s World Cup, a third place finish would be enough for Bryan Easson’s side to book their place. They can achieve that with a win at Kingspan Stadium this weekend.
However, Wright insists she is focused purely on the task at hand.
“The first job for us is to win at the weekend. We know it will be a battle. If we have to grind out a two-point win, we’ll do that. Anything that happens beyond that is a bonus.”
They had a couple of key players missing and having been on the end of a defeat like that you come back wanting to fight so it’s an opportunity for them