Scotland women and the 14 month journey – the WXV 2 Australia week: Head coach and captain on starts for Clarke, Donaldson and Brebner-Holden

Gary Heatly

Given the way Scotland have been playing – 12 wins in 15 Tests and victories in the last four since this season began – all matchday 23 selections are tough.

There are 30 players out in South Africa pushing for spots with a big 2025 around the corner with other players back home also itching to get back into the mix.

With 29 of those 30 players in Cape Town in the mix for Saturday’s big WXV 2 match with Australia which could see Scotland win more silverware – only Alex Stewart as she recovers from a head injury was not deemed available – head coach Bryan Easson said the selection meetings earlier in the week were some of the toughest he has had.

He has settled on his 23 though and there are seven changes to the starting XV that backed up the 19-0 Italy win with a 19-13 triumph over Japan.

Elliann Clarke, Eva Donaldson, Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher, Leia Brebner-Holden, Emma Orr and Coreen Grant have come into the team and while there will have been discussions around all seven picks, perhaps the most chat would have been around Clarke, Donaldson and Brebner-Holden.

Tighthead prop Clarke, 23, will be earning her 15th cap, but this is just her second start while it is also second-row Eva Donaldson’s second start on her 15th cap and she is 23 too. Scrum-half Brebner-Holden is 22 and this is cap number five and her first start.

They have all been picked ahead of more experienced campaigners Christine Belisle, Louise McMillan and Caity Mattinson and while the latter trio will make an impact on the game at some point, the youngsters have been back to make their mark.

Here are the thoughts of the aforementioned head coach and the captain Rachel Malcolm around those three…

Bryan Easson on… Elliann Clarke

“Elliann has worked particularly hard around her game. Her and CB [Belisle] work really hard together and we’ve got two really good tightheads.

“Elliann deserves that opportunity to show what she’s like from the start.”

Rachel Malcolm on… Elliann Clarke

“Elliann has never been anything but exceptional in a Scotland shirt. She is an athlete, she has grown into that tighthead role and her and CB work really closely which is I think is exactly what you need.

“We have a mindset anchor around different stories and one of the ones we use is Serena Williams and she says there is no Serena without Venus and that’s the kind of concept we have.

“To be at your best, who you are working with and challenging for a spot also needs to be at their best and Elliann and CB are a good example of that, they drive each other on to be better.

“CB has taken Elliann under her wing and for me Ellian has been outstanding every time she has worn a Scotland shirt.

“I am excited to see how she goes this weekend, I have every faith in her.”

Bryan Easson on… Eva Donaldson

“Eva has grown so much over the last two or three years.

“She’s always been energetic and given us something around the pitch and we know Australia will threaten us with ball in hand. However, she’s possibility the best jumper we have lineout-wise and we know she’ll put a lot of stress on them. We looked at that tactically and believe she’ll bring real positives for us.”

Rachel Malcolm on… Eva Donaldson

“Eva for me has just grown hugely over the last couple of years and I feel immensely proud to see her development.

“To see the improvements she has made from a second-row who was always athletic and agile, but maybe struggled at set piece time, to being someone who can now lead a set piece, is an excellent operator in the lineout in terms of being a strong lifter and probably at the minute our best jumper has been amazing.

“She absolutely deserves this start.”

Bryan Easson on… Leia Brebner-Holden

“She’s trained really well. We train above match intensity and she’s shown that she’s able to do that [play at real pace for long spells]. She’s energetic, she’s got a great skill set.

“Caity Mattinson can also bring energy, but she’s also a very smart rugby player who can close it out if you need to – or change the way you want to play – and it is exciting to see Leia starting.”

Rachel Malcolm on… Leia Brebner-Holden

“Our three nines work hard together to prepare each other.

“Leia has bided her time, she didn’t play during the Six Nations, but she kept her head down and kept working hard and she keep learning.

“She has taken every opportunity she has had and we are very excited to have her. She is a ball of energy on and off the pitch, she is a real fun person to have around the group and she has grown in confidence and her performances have shown that.

“She has fast speed of ball and that is exactly the kind of game we want to play while you then have the experience of Caity [Mattinson] to come on and close out a game so it is a good mix.”

The Scotland-Australia game is at 4pm UK time on Saturday at the Athlone Sports Stadium and live on BBC iPlayer and RugbyPass TV

Scotland women’s matchday squad for the WXV 2 clash with Australia

15 Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders) (69)

14  Coreen Grant (Saracens) (13)

13 Emma Orr (Bristol Bears) (23)

12 Lisa Thomson (Ealing Trailfinders) (63)

11 Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers) (16)

10 Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning) (64)

9 Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers) (4)

1 Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers) (37)

2 Lana Skelson (Bristol Bears) (73)

3 Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears) (14)

4 Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers) (14)

5 Sarah Bonar (Harlequins) (41)

6 Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning, C) (51)

7 Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier) (45)

8 Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears) (31)

Subs

16 Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning) (14)

17 Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning) (14)

18 Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning) (39)

19 Louise McMillan (Saracens) (57)

20 Jade Konkel (Harlequins) (65)

21 Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders) (26)

22 Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears) (21)

23 Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury) (3)

Scotland are pictured training in Cape Town, thanks to Scottish Rugby

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