Louise McMillan could win her 59th Scotland cap – and first since October 2024 – on Saturday after being named on the bench for the Women’s Six Nations match with Italy in Parma (4.30pm UK time, live on BBC).
The Birkmyre and Hillhead Jordanhill product, who is now with Saracens in the PWR English top flight, was a regular in the international set up from her debut in 2016 until cap number 58 against Australia in the WXV 2 loss in South Africa 16 months ago.
The second-row – who can also cover back-row – did not feature for Scotland in 2025 and missed that year’s Six Nations and, having been in New Zealand for the 2021 event played in 2022, missed out on selection for the Rugby World Cup last August and September.
Many wondered if we would see her in as Scotland shirt again, but excellent form for Sarries in recent months and a new national team coaching team at the helm has seen her return to the fold.
She was not in the matchday 23s for the games versus Wales and England respectively, but, with a six-two split bench having been selected this week, she will be wearing shirt number 20 in Parma and will look to make an impact if she comes on at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
“Louise has been great in and around camp,” Scotland head coach Sione Fukofuka explained when naming his round three squad on Thursday.
“Obviously she has been disappointed not to have been involved in the first two games in the Six Nations, but she has kept pushing, kept implementing the feedback that we’ve given her and the opportunity to bring someone with her experience into the 23 at this stage is a good one.
“We know that the pack is going to have to work really hard this week and [as coaches] we were happy to reward her with this chance from the bench.”
One-cap centre Rachel Philipps is the other addition to the bench this time around as the fourth placed Scots face winless bottom side Italy on the road.
There are five changes in the starting XV with Demi Swann earning a first start at this level at loosehead prop with Leah Bartlett on the bench.
In a recast back-row, Eva Donaldson and Rachel McLachlan start at six and seven respectively and skipper Rachel Malcolm moves to No.8. Emily Coubrough is unavailable and Alex Stewart is on the bench.
Lucia Scott is at 13 with Evie Wills injured and Francesca McGhie wears 14 with Rhona Lloyd unavailable.
“We were a little bit disappointed at our defensive line speed against England,” Fukofuka stated.
“We didn’t put a lot of pressure on England and we let them come at us. This week Ioan [Cunningham, the senior assistant coach] has done a great job with the squad really reinforcing principles and what we know we can execute within the system that we have.
“From an attack point of view, we didn’t build the phase count that we were after against England. We created a couple of little half breaks but then didn’t finish things so we need to be more accurate, especially in the ‘22’, this week.
And then with our set piece we’re seeing it executed at training and it’s just transferring that now into a game and to be consistent to allow us to play off that platform.
“Those have been some of the key messages this week.”
- The other Saturday matches in round three of the Women’s Six Nations see England play Wales at Ashton Gate in Bristol (2.15pm, live on BBC) and Ireland heading to the Stade Marcel-Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand to play France (8.10pm UK time, live on BBC).
Louise McMillan is pictured – thanks to Saracens
The Women’s Six Nations is here and the 2026 event runs from April 11 to May 17 and, between April 6 and May 20, GH Media will be covering Scotland’s campaign and the wider tournament – keep an eye out for content and thanks to everyone who supports GH Media’s work within women’s rugby