Players told to step up in absence of key duo

Scotland head coach Bryan Easson has urged other players to step up and make their mark during the upcoming Women’s Six Nations to fill the gaps left by the absence of key players Jade Konkel and Sarah Bonar.

Easson named a 31-strong squad yesterday for the competition which runs between April 3 and 24 and both No 8 Konkel, with 44 caps to her name, and second-row Bonar, who has 22 caps, were missing.

Konkel, pictured, is currently completing her training with the London Fire Brigade and Bonar is training with the Army.

“I am very strong that it is ‘person first, player second’. Rugby stopped over the last year, but players’ lives continuedandtheyhavetothink of their lives outwith the game,” Easson said.

“Jade has gone into the London Fire Brigade for training, it is a three-month block, so she is unavailable for this, but she will be back and we know that. Sarah Bonar is the same, she is away Army training, but she will come back after that. To lose any players with a number of caps is disappointing, but by losing them for a chunk of time we actually get to look at other players.”

There are four young, uncapped players in the group preparing for the opener away to England in Doncaster next weekend. Stirling County pair Evie Gallagher and Evie Wills are joined by Saracens’ Coreen Grant and Edinburgh University’s Shona Campbell. Rachel Malcolm captains the squad.

Scotland squad:

Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Siobhan Cattigan, Lisa Cockburn, Katie Dougan, Evie Gallagher, Megan Kennedy, Rachel Malcolm (C), Rachel Mclachlan, Louise Mcmillan, Panashe Muzambe, Jodie Rettie, Lana Skeldon, Emma Wassell, Molly Wright.

Backs: Shona Campbell, Abi Evans, Megan Gaffney, Coreen Grant, Sarah Law, Rhona Lloyd, Jenny Maxwell, Mairi Mcdonald, Liz Musgrove, Helen Nelson, Chloe Rollie, Rachel Shankland, Hannah Smith, Lisa Thomson, Evie Tonkin, Evie Wills.