WXV 2 build up: “I have been incredibly impressed”, says skipper Rachel Malcolm about the three uncapped players

Gary Heatly

In the 30-strong squad named for the upcoming Spain warm up match in Edinburgh and then next month’s WXV 2 competition in South Africa there are three uncapped players.

Demi Swann, 27, is a loosehead prop who now plays for the University of Worcester Warriors in England and grew up in Canada.

She began playing rugby while studying at Carleton University in Ottawa and at the University of Toronto and is eligible to play for Scotland through her mother from Troon in Ayrshire.

Fiona McIntosh, 23, plays in the second-row for Saracens in England and qualifies to play for Scotland through her dad who is from Govan in Glasgow.

And 20-year-old Holly McIntyre is mainly an outside centre who can play elsewhere in the backline. She came through the youth ranks at Ayr and now plays for the University of Edinburgh.

“I have been incredibly impressed by all of them,” captain Rachel Malcolm said after head coach Bryan Easson announced the squad on Monday.

“The way that they have taken on so much new information has been brilliant to see, some of us who have been here a long time have never taken on so much new information in a short time as in this training camp, so for them to get up to speed quickly has been very impressive.

“Demi is an extremely exciting player, she is a very exciting prop. She is a bit different to the props we already have, she is really dynamic, she likes to have ball in hand and it’ll be exciting to see how she goes.

“I think Fi McIntosh knew all the lineout calls by the second day she was with us and that is testament to the kind of person she is and the kind of hard worker she is.

“I am really pleased with the attitude the two of them have brought which is the same attitude we all have as a pack already.

“Holly McIntyre has been one of our standout trainers if I am honest in the last couple of weeks. She is someone who has been in and around the squad for a long time, she has bided her time and worked hard and I think she absolutely deserves her call up to the squad.

“She has kind of bounced around positions so far in her career and I think that experience has given her a really good knowledge of the game.

“I think all three of these girls can help push us on now. They have all earned their right to be in the squad and they are bringing a huge amount of value to things.”

Elsewhere in the group, loosehead prop Lisa Cockburn is back after 18 months out injured, second-rows Sarah Bonar and Emma Wassell return from injuries and Rhona Lloyd and Lisa Thomson are released by GB Sevens to get involved.

Contracted players Molly Wright (knee), Jenny Maxwell (knee) and Evie Wills (knee) are out injured and so is GB Sevens player Shona Campbell (shoulder).

In totally, 22 of the 28 Scottish Rugby contracted players are involved, the ones alongside Wright, Maxwell and Wills not part of things just now being Jodie Rettie, Lyndsay O’Donnell and Sarah Law.

Over recent weeks a wider Scotland training group has been working hard ahead of a Test against Spain at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on September 30 and then the first ever WXV 2 event in South Africa in October.

Once they get over there the Scots will be taking on the hosts in Burgersdorp on October 13, USA in Cape Town on October 20 and Japan in Cape Town on October 27.

Scotland squad:

Forwards

 Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers)

Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)

Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)

Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears)

Lisa Cockburn (University of Worcester Warriors)

Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)

Evie Gallagher (University of Worcester Warriors)

Jade Konkel (Harlequins)

Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning, C)

Elis Martin (Leicester Tigers)

Fiona McIntosh (Saracens)

Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks)

Louise McMillan (Saracens)

Lana Skeldon (University of Worcester Warriors)

Demi Swann (University of Worcester Warriors)

Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning)

Anne Young (Sale Sharks)

Backs

Beth Blacklock (Saracens)

Coreen Grant (Saracens)

Caity Mattinson (University of Worcester Warriors)

Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs)

Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers)

Holly McIntyre (University of Edinburgh)

Rhona Lloyd (GB Sevens/Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais)

Liz Musgrove (Ealing Trailfinders)

Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning, V-C)

Emma Orr (Heriot’s/Biggar)

Lisa Thomson (GB Sevens)

Chloe Rollie (Loughborough Lightning)

Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)

Match tickets are on sale now for the Spain Test at Hive Stadium on September 30 at 5.45pm, click here to secure some…

Keep an eye out on GH Media’s channels for Scotland women’s coverage up to and through to the end of WXV 2 in October…

Thanks to Scottish Rugby/SNS/Jim Parsons for the images of the new players