Fraser Brown says the Scotland women’s players have been “excellent, receptive and hard working” since he joined them as forwards coach at the end of last month.
In July it was announced that, following Martin Haag’s departure, 35-year-old Brown would be joining head coach Bryan Easson’s coaching set up on a consultancy basis as the forwards coach up to and during the WXV 2 tournament which takes place in South Africa in September and October.
Before that the team have two home September Tests with Wales (September 6) and Fiji (September 14) and Brown, the former hooker who made 141 appearances for Glasgow Warriors and earned 61 caps for Scotland men before retiring at the end of 2023/24, is now in his fourth week of working with the national team extended training squad at Oriam.
“I am really enjoying it, ” Brown said.
“I had a long playing career and have coached a bit up until now, but this is a bit different than what I have previously been used to experiencing, but the last few weeks have been brilliant.
“The players have all been excellent, they are receptive and hard working so it is going well and we can build from here.
“We are in a good spot we are where we expect to be as a team. As a forward pack we are where we expect to be, some of our stuff we have done really well and I have been really encouraged around our lineout stuff and our attacking contacts.
“I have brought in a few new things there so I have been impressed with how people have taken to and adapted to that.
“There are still bits and pieces to work on but we will do that in the lead up to Wales.”
When you think of pre-season training you think of a real slog and players running for miles.
“I am on the other side now so I can go through pre-season with a bit of a smile,” Brown, who has previously been a forwards coach to Glasgow Warriors women in the Celtic Challenge and forwards coach/head coach to Watsonians men, joked.
“Seriously though, it has been hard work it is not meant to be easy and part of that is building up the physical ability to play back-to-back games at a high level and part of that I building that resilience and togetherness that is needed at the top level.
“As a squad you want to work hard together and be connected so when it comes to it you know that the group and not just individuals are able to take themselves to some pretty dark places and get through things.
“That is the nature of pre-season and there have been some tough sessions and we still have a couple of tough ones to come, but they are important to put you in the right space for matches at the end of the day.
“There are a lot of positive signs here and I can’t wait to keep working with this group.”
And how does Brown see women’s rugby continuing to grow in this country?
“You need to win, whether you like it or not when you win in sport it generates momentum, public interest and participation, particularly in younger groups,” he stated.
“We need to keep growing as individuals, coaches and especially players – you can’t put a ceiling in your own performance, you’ve got to keep growing and learning – and I think as a union we’ve got to try and grow and invest.
It’s not easy, but women’s and girls rugby has seen a massive amount of growth and we’ve got to keep trying to capitalise on that momentum. If we win and play well [as a national team squad] then it helps generate that momentum.”
Scotland women’s training squad (uncapped in bold)
Forwards
Leah Bartlett
Gemma Bell
Christine Belisle
Holland Bogan
Sarah Bonar
Elliann Clarke
Lisa Cockburn
Eva Donaldson
Evie Gallagher
Jade Konkel
Rachel Malcolm
Elis Martin
Fiona McIntosh
Rachel McLachlan
Louise McMillan
Lana Skeldon
Alex Stewart
Emma Wassell
Anne Young
Backs
Cieron Bell
Beth Blacklock
Leia Brebner-Holden
Coreen Grant
Caity Mattinson
Jenny Maxwell
Mairi McDonald
Francesca McGhie
Liz Musgrove
Rhona Lloyd
Helen Nelson
Emma Orr
Lisa Thomson
Chloe Rollie
Lucia Scott
Meryl Smith
Day trainers invited into camp to support their development
Merryn Gunderson
Natasha Logan
Hannah Walker
Hannah Ramsay
Aila Ronald
Rachel Philipps added on August 12
Sky Phimister added on August 19
Fraser Brown is pictured taking training, thanks to Scottish Rugby/SNS for the image
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