Gary Heatly in Exeter
Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm was “proud” of the team’s performance in the loss to Canada in the Women’s Rugby World Cup Pool B decider but was left to rue shifts in momentum in the game which were their downfall at the weekend.
The world number two Canadians eventually won 40-19 at Sandy Park in Exeter versus the sixth in the world Scots and it means that the latter will now face England in the quarter-finals.
That last eight game will be at Ashton Gate in Bristol on Sunday and Scotland would have to cause one of the biggest upsets ever to progress against the world number one and tournament favourites Red Roses.
Against Canada, Scotland were just 7-5 down after 30 minutes, but then No.8 Evie Gallagher was yellow carded and the opposition scored 12 points while she was off to lead 19-5 at the break.
By the 52nd minute Scotland had pulled things back to 19-12 after an excellent converted try from Gallagher, but every time Scotland got close, Canada just did enough to pull away.
Scotland also had a try from stand-off Helen Nelson disallowed on the hour mark as they finished runners-up in the group.
“We always knew that it was going to be a bruising battle against Canada,” back-row Malcolm said.
“We said that we’d have to take ourselves to a darker place than we’ve maybe ever done before to get the result and, although I am proud, I think we probably had a little bit more in us and that’s the disappointing bit.
“At times we showed that we could score against them and it was just those little shifts in momentum that we probably didn’t control too well.
“They capitalised on the 10 minutes before half-time when we were down to 14 and it’s disappointing because I really do think there was a result out there for us to take.
“What we need to take from it is that we’ve just competed against one of the best teams in this tournament and that’ll help us get ready to take on another very good side next in the knock-out stages.”
Malcolm knows that England are going to bring “heat” to the next match, but she has backed her charges to give everything they have got in that one once they have dusted themselves down from the Canada loss.
“England are going to bring a huge amount of heat,” the skipper stated.
“They’re going to be as pumped up as much as Canada were and we know we need to be better and not let the game get away from us.
“We need to find a way to not give away easy scores, but we did create a number of chances against Canada and that is a big positive.
“This group of players been through a heck of a lot worse than getting beat by Canada so we will get ready and go again.
“We’re ready to take the step up. We’re ready to keep improving as we have done in every game in this tournament so far.
“We play for everyone, that’s something that we’re really big on in this squad. It’s never about one person.
“It’s never about anything really outside of this group.
“We had a lot of noise before the tournament [about contracts and head coach Bryan Easson leaving] and we’ve just kind of battened down the hatches and we are playing for everyone involved with Scotland women.
“We will give it all we have got on Sunday.”
As well as Gallagher, the Scotland try scorers versus Canada were wingers Rhona Lloyd and Francesca McGhie and they now have three and six tries respectively in the event. Nelson kicked two conversions while Aberdonian Sarah Bonar earned her 50th cap in the second-row.
- Scotland are now travelling to Bristol for the last eight and the full quarter-final draw is here.
Scotland Women’s Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Becky Boyd, Sarah Bonar, Elliann Clarke, Lisa Cockburn, Eva Donaldson, Evie Gallagher, Adelle Ferrie, Jade Konkel, Rachel Malcolm (C), Elis Martin, Rachel McLachlan, Molly Poolman, Lana Skeldon, Alex Stewart, Emma Wassell, Molly Wright, Anne Young.
Backs: Leia Brebner-Holden, Beth Blacklock, Rhea Clarke, Coreen Grant, Rhona Lloyd, Caity Mattinson, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Emma Orr, Hannah Ramsay, Chloe Rollie, Lisa Thomson, Hannah Walker, Evie Wills.
Rachel Malcolm is pictured making a tackle versus Canada – thanks to World Rugby
From August 7 until September 30, GH Media will be following the Scotland World Cup journey all of the way. We will be at all of the Scotland matches down south and will be bringing you all of the interviews and news from camp as well as taking a wider look at the tournament as a whole and its impact on the women’s game. Thanks to Quirky Chocolate and other supporters for allowing this content to happen and to readers for engaging with it.