Gary Heatly in Bristol
Leia Brebner-Holden is looking forward to potentially going up against her former coach Natasha Hunt on Sunday when Scotland take on England in the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
When Brebner Holden, now 23, was at Hartpury College and Hartpury University and also on the fringes of things at Gloucester-Hartpury, fellow scrum-half Hunt, now 36 and known in rugby circles as Mo, acted as a something of a coach/mentor to her.
The matchday 23s will be named on Friday, but there is a good chance that Brebner-Holden, who has 14 caps, and Hunt, who has 86 caps, could start the big game wearing the number nine jerseys for the Scots and the English respectively.
“For me personally it would be really interesting coming up against Mo Hunt because she coached me a lot through my college and university years,” Brebner-Holden explained.
“We spent a lot of time passing together when I was younger. She definitely helped with my pass.
“I think she’s probably been a big part of that part of my game be fair, don’t tell her though…!
“I definitely do owe her a bit of credit.
“I think the fact that potentially some of my knowledge has come from Mo is good for me because I’ve got that in the bank a little bit, but I think that our focus is on us ahead of this game.”
Brebner-Holden was born in England and spent much of her youth in Abu Dhabi, but with a mother who hails from Brora she is as Scottish as they come and cannot wait for the game.
The Scots are massive underdogs heading into the last eight clash in Bristol against the world number one side and tournament favourites.
However, Loughborough Lightning talent Brebner-Holden and her team mates will be giving it everything they can to cause a shock at Ashton Gate.
“I was looking at old family photos and stuff the other day and I’ve always had a Scotland top on and it’s always been that way despite where I grew up,” she stated.
“My dad and my sister used to support England and me and mum Scotland, but this weekend they’re all definitely rooting for Scotland, I have had reassurances of that.
“I think the fact that it’s a quarter-final does ramp things up a bit, but I think just maintaining what you would usually do in a match week is really important.
“I don’t think the squad is thinking about the fact that it could be our last week here at all, we are just focusing on the job at hand.
“I think everyone’s going about what they would usually do in a Test week and just preparing the best they can for the game at the weekend.”
Brebner-Holden has started all of Scotland’s matches so far in the competition and last Saturday’s game versus Canada marked a year for her at this level since a debut versus Wales.
“I got my first cap a year ago against Wales and on the morning of the Canada game I was thinking it’s just unbelievable the pace at which all of this has happened, getting my first cap and then starting in a World Cup and going into the last stages of that is just crazy to me,” she added.
“I think over the first year at this level for me the biggest change that I’ve seen in myself is just confidence and chat on pitch.
“I’m naturally quite a quiet person so coming forward and speaking isn’t always the easiest thing but I think a massive part of that confidence for me as a person on and off pitch has come from backing myself to talk more and put myself out there a little bit more.”
Scotland Women’s Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Becky Boyd, Sarah Bonar, Lisa Cockburn, Eva Donaldson, Evie Gallagher, Adelle Ferrie, Jade Konkel, Rachel Malcolm (C), Elis Martin, Rachel McLachlan, Molly Poolman, Lana Skeldon, Alex Stewart, Emma Wassell, Molly Wright, Anne Young.
Backs: Leia Brebner-Holden, Beth Blacklock, Rhea Clarke, Coreen Grant, Rhona Lloyd, Caity Mattinson, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Emma Orr, Hannah Ramsay, Chloe Rollie, Lisa Thomson, Hannah Walker, Evie Wills.
Leia Brebner-Holden and Mo Hunt are pictured – thanks to Scottish Rugby and England Rugby
From August 7 until September 30, GH Media will be following the Scotland World Cup journey all of the way. We will be at all of the Scotland matches down south and will be bringing you all of the interviews and news from camp as well as taking a wider look at the tournament as a whole and its impact on the women’s game. Thanks to Quirky Chocolate and other supporters for allowing this content to happen and to readers for engaging with it.