Gary Heatly in Manchester
All Scotland supporters will be excited to see the whole squad play versus Wales in the Women’s Rugby World Cup opener in Manchester this weekend.
But perhaps more than most they are excited to see Evie Gallagher, the No.8 who turned 25 on Friday, in action at Salford Community Stadium (2.45pm, live on the BBC).
Gallagher, who came through the ranks at Stirling County and now plays at Bristol Bears down south, cruelly missed out on the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand at the last minute.
Since that disappointment she has moved on and, since early 2023, has been Scotland’s star performer without question.
The Wales game will be her 38th cap and her first in a World Cup and those that know her well are backing her to perform well in the opener and beyond as the Scots look to make the knock-out stages of the 16-tea, England-wide event.
“I’m really pleased to see Evie G at this World Cup,” her team mate and close friend Lana Skeldon said.
“She is a phenomenal athlete and player and someone who deserves this so much because of the hard work she has put in behind the scenes.
“And, as a close friend of hers, I’m obviously delighted that she’s getting this opportunity to show what she’s about, because, like I say, she’s a phenomenal athlete and an outstanding rugby player.
“There’s not a lot Evie is not good at, but I would say her approach to the game is one of her strengths. She’s very strong and she’s very aggressive in attack and defence.
“But her detail and the way she plays the game is probably her biggest strength. She knows rugby inside and out and you can see that on the pitch.”
Head coach Bryan Easson knows how important Gallagher is to everything his side does and he said: “You talk to her about missing the last World Cup and she just brushes it off and says it’s part of the learning process.
“She believes that missing the last World Cup has probably made her the player that she is. She was driven by that adversity and she’s had other adversity in her life too.
“She’s always pushed on to become the best she can be. She’s a quiet one, she’s a bit of a silent assassin.
“Evie’s great around the group, she just gets on and does her business.
“She is a great individual to have around. She genuinely is a world class player.
“Some of her defensive work is brilliant, her attacking contact work as well is exceptional and she is a big ball carrier for us.
“We’re lucky to have her.”
Eva Donaldson, a current international team mate of Gallagher’s who has known her since their Stirling days, said: “I don’t even need to say words about Evie G, she’ll demonstrate to you on the pitch what she is all about.
“It was such a shame for her to miss out the last one, but she is so ready for this World Cup.
“She is so quietly humble about what she can do on a pitch and I think she’s so ready to bring her best in the coming weeks.”
The tournament in England runs from August 22 to September 27 and the Scotland group stage matches are against Wales on Saturday, Fiji in Manchester on August 30 and Canada in Exeter on September 6.
The top two from each pool will make it through to the last eight in the 16-team event with a quarter-final spot definitely achievable for the Scots.
Scotland squad to play Wales: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Francesca McGhie; Helen Nelson, Leia Brebner-Holden; Leah Bartlett, Lana Skeldon, Elliann Clarke, Emma Wassell, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (C), Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher. Subs: Elis Martin, Molly Wright, Lisa Cockburn, Jade Konkel, Eva Donaldson, Alex Stewart, Caity Mattinson, Beth Blacklock.
The Wales matchday 23 is here.
Evie Gallagher is pictured – thanks to Ruby Adam Photography
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.