Skipper Rachel Malcolm has led Scotland to many important wins on her watch and she believes the last gasp triumph over Ireland at the weekend is up there with the best of them.
The Scots were up against it for a lot of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations round five match against a strong Irish side at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday, but somehow managed to win 26-19 with a bonus point after a last gasp try from winger Francesca McGhie converted by stand-off Helen Nelson.
Malcolm, the 33-year-old back-row who first captained the side in 2019 and has done it permanently since 2020, returned to win her 56th cap versus the Irish after missing the 59-7 loss to England in round four with a head injury.
“I think in the context of what we have gone through in the last two months it probably is up there with the best wins we have had while I have been captain,” she said.
“We have had quite a new, young squad with seven players making debuts during the tournament, some injuries and changes week to week, but the way the players stuck to task during the Ireland training week and into the game was really good.
“We didn’t actually have the ball much in the Ireland game and something that we haven’t traditionally done well is take our opportunities when they are few and far between in games, but here we did.
“We have usually had to create 10 chances to put away a couple, but the second try we scored at the end of the first half [by Emma Orr] we finished off really clinically and we had two great finishes in the second half too.
“In that second half we just fought for everything and that made me so proud and probably why, at the minute, I feel like it is up there with our best wins of recent times – it is certainly one of my favourite wins.
“We were coming off the back of a fairly disappointing result down in Leicester and we were going up against what I’d say were the in-form team in the tournament in Ireland.
“Not many people expected us to win, but no one in our group ever had any doubt that we could do it
“That belief, that bravery and heart… that’s the Scotland way and it is why I’m proud to be the leader of this group.”
- Helen Nelson and Evie Gallagher have been named in the Team of the Six Nations Championship as voted for by supporters, more information here.
- Freya Walker and Ceidith Ainsworth were the women’s team prize winners at the Glasgow Warriors awards at the weekend, more information here.
Rachel Malcolm is pictured saluting the crowd after the win over Ireland – thanks to Gareth Falls
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