Starting your first match for your country is special, starting your first match for your country and being asked to carry the famous ball from Scotland’s first ever Test in 1993 off the team bus is even more special.
And that is what Anne Young, the 24-year-old loosehead prop who came through the ranks at Helensburgh, Hillhead Jordanhill and the University of Edinburgh, did on September 14 when the Scots defeated Fiji 59-15 at Hive Stadium.
The player who moved from Sale Sharks to Loughborough Lightning this summer has been in and around the international squad since 2019, but her first 11 caps came off the bench.
Cap number 12 was then the first start nearly a fortnight ago and, to make the day even better, skipper Rachel Malcolm asked Young to carry the ball off the team bus when they arrived at the Murrayfield complex pre-match.
“That was amazing,” Young recounts.
“When Rachel stood up and said to me that I was going to be carrying the ball off the bus it was such a special moment. To have the whole squad cheering me on was great and then to see the crowd too was exciting and it is so special that we can have that ball [from 1993 and the game versus Ireland], it means so much to us and it represents so much, a legacy to us that we want to carry on.
“It is always an honour playing for Scotland no matter what role you are doing, it is always a privilege, but to get my first start was amazing and to do it at home with my friends and family there against a team like Fiji who we had never played before was special. It was really cool and I enjoyed it very much.”
And Young says it was “really special” to make her first start for Scotland alongside her good friend in the shape of Elliann Clarke.
“It was really special to start at the same time as Elliann,” Young said.
“We obviously used to play at Edinburgh Uni together, we were often one and three shirts there, so to share this kind of day with her with Scotland was really special and it was really fun to have her out there with me.”
Meanwhile, Young And Young is clear in her mind about what Scotland are wanting to do over the next few weeks in the WXV 2 event in South Africa.
The 30-strong squad is now in Cape Town ahead of matches with Italy (Saturday, DHL Stadium 2pm UK time, shown on BBC iPlayer and RugbyPass TV), Japan (October 5) and Australia (October 12).
“It is a massive three weeks for us, we are here looking to defend our title from last year and our mindset is that we are here to win it, we are going to do everything we can to win it and that is what all of our preparation has been about, that’s what all our chat has been about and we are determined – that is the mindset,” she stated.
“We want to win, we always go into all of our games with that mindset and I think right now that is just emphasised because we are feeling confident after 10 wins in 13 and getting to five in the world and are ready to try and retain our title.”
The matchday 23 to face Italy will be named at Thursday lunchtime.
Scotland women’s squad at WXV 2 (uncapped in bold)
Forwards
Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers)
Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)
Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)
Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears)
Lisa Cockburn (Gloucester Hartpury)
Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)
Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears)
Jade Konkel (Harlequins)
Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning)
Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning)
Fiona McIntosh (Saracens)
Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier)
Louise McMillan (Saracens)
Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears)
Aila Ronald (University of Edinburgh)
Alex Stewart (Corstorphine Cougars)
Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning)
Backs
Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)
Coreen Grant (Saracens)
Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders)
Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs)
Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers)
Rhona Lloyd (GB 7s/ Stade Bordelais)
Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning)
Emma Orr (Bristol Bears)
Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks)
Lisa Thomson (GB 7s/Ealing Trailfinders)
Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders)
Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury)
Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)
Anne Young is pictured bringing the ball off the bus prior to the Fiji game by Bryan Robertson
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