With a record crowd of 7,774 flocking to Hive Stadium on Saturday afternoon and lots of other women’s rugby related activities going on this weekend it feels like the sport in this country is really hitting the heights.
It all began on Friday afternoon when 150 guests were at the President’s Suite at Murrayfield for a lunch hosted by Wooden Spoon and the Scottish Thistles Rugby Clan.
Among the speakers there was the excellent Judy Murray and people in the room had a combined 1,300 plus caps for Scotland and England.
Then that evening 90 Days – the play about how Scotland became the unlikely saviours of the 1994 Women’s Rugby World Cup – started at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh and runs until Sunday.
On the pitch, at 11.15am on Saturday Dalkeith take on Marr in the women’s National Bowl final on the Murrayfield back pitches before the big event at 2.15pm next door at the Hive when Scotland and world number one side England meet in round three of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
“It is a great weekend for women’s rugby in Scotland,” Scotland head coach Bryan Easson said.
“Two years ago we played England and there was three-and-a-half thousand [3,988] there. At that time we thought ‘wow this is amazing, look at how the game is growing’ but now it is a sell-out and I’m sure they could have sold a lot more tickets as well.
The lunch and the play shows where the game has been and where it’s going and to have the Bowl final out on the back pitches – and the teams are going to be on the main pitch at half-time in the international – it really showcases the women’s game.
“The crowd against France [5,601] was phenomenal, the noise and also you could tell there were a lot of families there.
“This group of players are role models and they are building something.
“We want to make sure we enjoy the crowd, but that we also put in a performance to make them proud.”
The international match is live on BBC Sport.
Scotland: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Meryl Smith, Coreen Grant; Helen Nelson, Caity Mattinson; Leah Bartlett, Lana Skeldon, Christine Belisle, Emma Wassell, Louise McMillan, Rachel Malcolm (C), Alex Stewart, Evie Gallagher. Subs: Elis Martin, Molly Wright, Elliann Clarke, Fiona McIntosh, Rachel McLachan, Mairi McDonald, Lisa Thomson, Francesca McGhie.
Thanks to N50 Photography for the image of Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm at Friday’s captain’s run
During the Guinness Women’s Six Nations period through to the end of April, GH Media will be covering all aspects of women’s rugby in Scotland via reports, features and interviews…
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