They often say to stay grounded that you should never forget where you come from – and in Emma Orr’s case she is one of the most grounded people you will ever meet while she will certainly never forget her early steps on her rugby journey taken at Biggar RFC.
Still just 21, Scotland centre Emma is one of the hottest properties in the world of women’s rugby just now and ever since she made her international debut in Wales during the Six Nations of 2022 she has gone on to earn 19 caps, played in a Rugby World Cup and was a WXV 2 winner in 2023.
She has pretty much made the Scotland number 13 jersey her own and has this week been selected in the 30-strong squad for the upcoming September Tests and the return to South Africa and WXV 2.
Over the summer she also managed to graduate from SRUC with a BSc in agriculture while back in 2022 she was part of the Team Scotland women’s sevens squad at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Everyone at Biggar RFC is very proud of what she has gone on to achieve and it is clear whenever you speak to her that she is proud to have played for Biggar and still has lots of friends and family connections there.
“It has been a very quick two and a half years or so since my debut for Scotland, sometimes I have to take a step back and think about it all,” she said.
“A lot has happened and has gone by in a bit of a flash.
“My first Scotland cap I started at 13 due to Covid and injuries and things like that and I think it has helped me because it was the first ever game I had played at 13 which is quite scary to think about.
“I was sort of thrown into it and it was probably the best thing for me because I did not have any time to hype it up or worry too much, I just knew I had to get in and get the job done to the best of my ability.
“I talk to the girls about this all of the time, but credit has to go to the girls around me on the pitch like Lisa Thomson, Helen Nelson, Meryl Smith, Rhona Lloyd and others because they have helped me learn the position and always keep me right when we are playing.
It is definitely a challenging position, but one I really enjoy and the coaching staff have also helped me out a lot. [Scotland defence coach] Tyrone Holmes has particularly worked with me individually on the defensive side of things, like we will look back at games and analyse defensively where I went wrong and where I went right so that I can try and get it right more often than not.”
Over the years Orr has been used to juggling her rugby with university work and putting in the yards on the family farm, but over the last couple of years she has had a Scottish Rugby contract and for 2024/25 she has linked up with Bristol Bears too.
They are one of the top teams in the English top flight which is known as the PWR and of the move Emma said: “I think the move to Bristol will help my game develop even further, not only playing down there week in and week out at a really high level, but training and competing with girls who are world class will hopefully really develop my individual skills.
“Bristol seemed, from what I had heard, an unbelievable environment and the Scottish girls have gone there have absolutely thrived. I just spoke to everyone and got a feel for things, I went down to Bristol and saw the facilities and got to know the staff there and I absolutely loved it.
“It is just such exciting times with Bristol and with Scotland.
“With the national team we are heading in a promising direction and I am looking forward to the challenges of the next year or so which will take us up to Rugby World Cup 2025.”
Scotland’s most capped player of all-time – male or female – Donna Kennedy came through the ranks at Biggar and that pipeline is continuing apace.
When the Scotland squad for the upcoming Tests was announced on Tuesday, as well as Emma being included fellow Biggar product Rachel Philipps was in there too having impressed the coaches after just two weeks of being part of the wider national team set up.
The uncapped centre recently joined Sale Sharks from Watsonians while Sarah Denholm, the capped stand-off, also came through at Biggar and has joined Ealing Trailfinders from Edinburgh University.
And, with Biggar’s women’s team having won their Arnold Clark Women’s West One opening fixture of 2024/25 on Sunday 45-5 at Wigtownshire and the age group set up for girls going from strength-to-strength at Hartree Mill following under-16 and 18 National Youth Cup wins last December, there is plenty more where that came from.
Biggar girls’ rugby convener Katie Mellanby said: “We are incredibly proud of the girls representing Scotland and the example that they set with their hard work and dedication.
“Watching Emma, Rachel and Sarah is inspirational to all of our girls coming through the club and we will keep building as things move forward.”
To find out more about the girls’ and women’s rugby on offer at Biggar RFC, visit biggarfc.org.uk
Emma Orr was talking at this launch event recently.
Vodafone is a new Principal Partner and back of shirt sponsor of Scottish Rugby’s Men’s and Women’s team.
Vodafone is also a Principal Partner of Scottish Rugby’s Women’s Pathway, supporting the growth of the women’s game in Scotland.
GH Media is always keen to cover club and grassroots women’s rugby stories in Scotland – thanks to those already supporting the content, if you or your company would like to get involved please email gary@gh-media.co.uk