Christine Belisle is “very excited” about linking up with the Barbarians squad this week and getting the chance to pull on the famous black and white shirt on Saturday.
The Barbarians men have been known for years as a team that like to play with flair and, since its formation in 2017, the Barbarians women’s team has done the same.
On Saturday, the men will take on Wales at 2pm at Allianz Stadium Twickenham in London with the women taking on their Welsh counterparts at 5pm in an exciting double header.
And Belisle, the 32-year-old Canada-born Loughborough Lightning tighthead prop who earned 42 caps for Scotland between 2019 and 2025, is in the women’s squad along with fellow Scots Sarah Bonar, Caity Mattinson and Jenny Maxwell.
This year’s Scottish contingent follow in the footsteps of Rhona Lloyd, Helen Nelson, Sarah Law, Megan Gaffney, Lauren Harries, Annabel Sergeant, Tracey Balmer and Susie Brown in representing the Barbarians and Donna Kennedy who previously coached the select side.
“I am very excited,” Belisle said.
“The history of the Barbarians is iconic and to have the opportunity to be a part of it is so special.
“I‘ve always loved being in camp with a squad and everything that comes along with it so I’m really looking forward to this new environment and getting the chance to meet and learn from so many incredible women.
“And being in a squad with Sarah, Caity and Jenny again will be great. They’re outstanding players, but even better people so being able to link back up again in a rugby environment is going to be super special.”
As well as the four Scots in the Barbarians squad that is going to be coached by the highly respected duo of Susie Appleby and Sarah Hunter, there are players from England, Spain, America, Wales, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the group and it will be great to see them coming together and playing.
When players turn out for the Barbarians they get to wear their own socks and Belisle, a two-time World Cupper who helped Scotland win WXV 2 in 2023, said: “I’ll be wearing a sock for Loughborough Lightning and a sock for Scotland.
“If I could double up with two socks on each foot I’d also be repping Peterborough Pagans, my club from back in Canada, and Cartha Queens Park, my club bin Scotland, as they have played a big part in my rugby life.”
Away from the rugby pitch, Belisle runs Strong Friends Club which helps people to build unbreakable confidence, build a strong and powerful body and have lots of fun through training.
“It’s great,” Belisle enthused.
“I’m now back into gym coaching people face-to-face alongside all of my online work and it’s so much fun. There’s nothing more inspiring than working with women who want to get strong and improve themselves and I feel really lucky to have so many of them trust me to lead them on that journey.”
Christine Belisle is pictured
It is shaping up to be an exciting 2026/27 season for women’s rugby in Scotland and GH Media will be covering it in detail – if any companies are keen to support this content please send an email to gary@gh-media.co.uk