It may be just a Summer Test/warm up match in some people’s minds versus Ireland in Cork this weekend, but it is a vitally important outing for Scotland for sure.
Although the result against Wales in the Women’s Rugby World Cup opener in Manchester on August 23 is the one that REALLY matters, Scotland will want to make a statement on Saturday to show that they are ready and raring to go ahead of the upcoming showpiece event.
The team has only won two Tests in the last seven dating back to October last year.
Okay, two of the five losses came against world number one side England and world number four France respectively, but two of the defeats came against Italy and one came against Australia.
That Australia loss came in the WXV 2 title decider in Cape Town last year to kick off the recent run of results and while Italy and Japan were dispatched earlier in that tournament those games were pretty close for large parts.
After the Australia match – and the WXV 2 event in general – Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm said “there is a lot more in us” and head coach Bryan Easson said “I do feel that there is more in this group”.
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations started well with a win against Wales and ended well with a win over Ireland, but three defeats came in the middle with the home reverse to Italy particularly frustrated for all involved.
However, the closing triumph against Ireland was impressive and Easson said after that one: “That type of battling performance that the players put in against Ireland is what this squad are all about.
And Malcolm said: “I think in the context of what we have gone through in the last two months it probably is up there with the best wins we have had while I have been captain.”
Since a well-deserved break, an extended squad of 38 have been training in Edinburgh in recent times building up to the World Cup later this month and in September in England.
The final 32-strong squad will be named next week for the big dance and while Easson already knows the group he will select – barring any injuries this weekend – he will want the 23 players involved on Saturday to put in a better all-round performance that the one that came in the 34-29 Summer Test defeat to Italy last week.
The showing in Viadana improved massively in the second half after a generally passive first 40 minutes – perhaps down, in part, to well documented recent off the field goings on.
Now an 80-minute showing with the physicality and intent shown in that second 40 minutes would go down very well against Ireland (2pm kick-off, live on BBC iPlayer) ahead of the squad naming and then travelling down to England.
In general, Scotland are still in a good place and reached a record high of number five in the world last September. They have also won 14 and lost eight Tests since April 2023, but if they want to make sure of getting into the knock-out stages in England – which they are certainly more than capable of – then they will need to find another gear or two.
As a result, as mentioned, the Wales game is THE game that everyone is thinking about, but the game against fifth place in the world rankings Ireland is an important one.
And it is one in which seventh in the world Scotland will want to lay down a marker in as Wales did when they beat Australia in Brisbane last week.
- Wales lost their second Test to Australia 36-5 in Brisbane on Friday.
- Scotland women’s rugby league team are playing their first ever Test away to Wales on Sunday.
Scotland squad to play Ireland: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Lucia Scott; Hannah Ramsay, Caity Mattinson; Anne Young, Lana Skeldon, Elliann Clarke, Emma Wassell, Rachel Malcolm (C), Rachel McLachlan, Alex Stewart, Evie Gallagher. Subs: Elis Martin, Leah Bartlett, Molly Poolman, Adelle Ferrie, Eva Donaldson, Leia Brebner-Holden, Beth Blacklock, Coreen Grant.
Tickets for Scotland-England at Murrayfield in April 2026 can be purchased here.
Chloe Rollie is pictured on the attack versus Ireland earlier in the year – thanks to N50 Photography
GH Media has covered Scotland women’s journey to this point and will be covering Scotland women’s journey right through to the end of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, bringing insight from within the camp throughout and featuring other parts of the game in this country too – thanks to those already supporting the content, if you or your company would like to get involved please email gary@gh-media.co.uk