Feature Articles

Women’s 6N build up: Two cracking events coming our way in April celebrating women’s rugby in Scotland

Gary Heatly

The domestic season is still in full swing north of the border and in England, the Celtic Challenge is ongoing, Scots females are representing GB Sevens on the world stage, the Guinness Women’s Six Nations is fast approaching – and it is now two months until two exciting events.

At 12pm on April 12, Wooden Spoon Edinburgh and the Scottish Thistles Clan will be hosting their Pre-International Lunch in The Thistle Suite at Murrayfield.

And 90 Days – a production written by Scottish screenwriter Kim Millar and directed by Liz Carruthers – will premiere at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh later the same day at 7pm. The play will then be on at 8pm on April 13 and 2pm on April 14.

With Scotland taking on reigning champions England at Hive Stadium in round three of the Six Nations on April 13, women’s rugby supporters in this country really in for a treat that weekend – and the lunch and the play could be the perfect events to accompany attending the match…

Wooden Spoon and Scottish Thistles Clan Pre-International Lunch

Wooden Spoon Edinburgh is delighted to invite you to their Pre-International Lunch with the Scottish Thistles Clan, the organisation for past and present Scottish women’s internationalists.

Date: April 12, the day before Scotland play England in Edinburgh in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations

Venue: The Thistle Suite, Murrayfield

Hosts:Former Scotland cap Jilly McCord and Brian Donald

Cost: £75 per person, £750 per table of 10

The price includes a drinks reception, lunch and celebrity Q & A.

Judy Murray will be one of four Q & A panelists – the others are Scotland’s most-capped internationalist Donna Kennedy, chief finance officer for the RFU and former England internationalist Sue Day and former Scotland internationalist and author Lee Cockburn.

90 Days

Set in the 1990s, and told through the eyes of the players, the production discovers how Scotland’s first women’s rugby team was created, and their dream of playing against the best teams in the world are dashed and how Scotland became the unlikely saviours of the 1994 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The story lifts the lid on the huge challenges and prejudice the women’s game faced in the early years. Revealing for the first time – events that led to the last-minute cancellation of the Women’s Rugby World Cup which left Holland and New Zealand’s Black Ferns effectively banned from taking part.

Thirty years on 90 Days celebrates the positive changes in women’s rugby over the last 30 years.

Creative Director of 90 Days and ex-Scotland captain Sandra Colomartino said:  “Having had the honour of being Scotland’s first women’s rugby captain, I felt it was time to give something back to the sport I love.

“The idea to make 90 Days a theatrical production was I really wanted this story to appeal to all, not just the rugby community. We’re using music as well as comedy to bring this story to life. 90 Days is a story of self-belief, empowerment and sheer bloody mindedness.”

Sue Brodie, Chair of So Strong Productions said;  “I can’t quite believe it’s 30 years since the 1994 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Scotland and I am proud to be a part of this amazing team which has brought 90 Days to the stage on its anniversary.

“This is a story of those who played, and those who were sanctioned not to attend – this is their story too. It is one of passion and determination, but most importantly the story shows that the collective effort was bigger than any one player, administrator or team and that the impact 30 years on, for international women’s rugby, was greater than anyone could have imagined.”

Kim Millar, screenwriter of 90 Days, added:  “When I heard what had happened in 1994, I was immediately gripped by the unfairness of it. The amazing women who, through sheer resilience and determination, organised the Women’s World Cup in Scotland in such a tight time scale, are now rightly recognised and lauded by Scottish Rugby. What they did saved not just tournament, it saved the sport for a generation of women.

“To save the World Cup in 90 days is nothing short of miraculous. It’s a privilege to be able to dramatise the difficulties they encountered and their successful struggle to overcome them.”

Tickets for these two events are available here and here 

Between January and April 2024, GH Media will be covering all aspects of women’s rugby in Scotland via reports, features and interviews…

Thanks to those who have made this possible and if any companies/individuals are keen to support this work too, please email [email protected]