Gary Heatly in Bristol
Vice-captain Helen Nelson says Scotland are “in the best form they have ever been in” during her time in the set up heading into Sunday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final with England.
The Scots are massive underdogs heading into the last eight clash in Bristol against the world number one and tournament favourites.
They lost against Canada 40-19 in the final Pool B match in Exeter last weekend to give them this daunting tie, but 74-times capped 31-year-old Nelson believes the earlier World Cup performances in wins over Wales and Fiji have them feeling good heading into the big match at Ashton Gate.
Stand-off Nelson, who first played the game at Jubilee Park in Ballachulish with the Glencoe Golden Eagles and now plays down south for Loughborough Lightning, said: “I think we’re in the best form that we’ve ever been in since I’ve been involved which was 2016.
“I think we just have to take the opportunity that is there for us. I think the crowd will be there, obviously, cheering for England, but e know the Scots will be there cheering us on too.
“It’s a massive occasion, playing England at their home World Cup in the quarter-finals, it doesn’t get much bigger than that and we have to embrace the challenge.
“I think we can take a lot of confidence into the game from the way we played against Wales and Fiji and also the way we pushed Canada who are number two in the world.
“I think our defence against Canada was unbelievable at times, our scramble and just our fight, so I think we can take confidence in knowing we can take it to the best teams around.
“Everyone kind of needs to be on form and those tiny little errors, those little fine margins that we had versus Canada, the best teams in the world will punish you for those moments.
“So, if we can whittle the mistakes down as much as possible and build on all the great stuff that we have done in the last few weeks then we can build nicely into what will be a tough game against England.”
One of the fine margins Nelson mentioned that occurred against Wales was when she had a try disallowed.
On the hour mark a long lineout over the top found her and she weaved in for a score, but it was quickly ruled out by the referee and the TMO for her being offside.
She admitted after the game that she was just a bit eager and, if that had counted and been converted, it would have been 26-19 at that stage.
“It was frustrating, I think I’m going to get rinsed in team review for that one, for coming over the 10-metre line, but, yeah, the space was there,” she explained.
“I just got my timing wrong, I knew I’d kind of overstepped a wee bit, and I think Thommo [Lisa Thomson] knew, she told me to take the conversion quickly, so she definitely knew.
“Things like that that just shows the margins on which games can swing against the best teams around because soon after we were 33-12 down and the game was getting away from us.”
- Fifer Elliann Clarke has posted a message on Instagram after injury ruled her out of the rest of the World Cup on Monday.
“When your team make the latter stages of the World Cup but you don’t – gutted to miss the rest of the tournament, but cannot wait to support the girls on Sunday,” the 24-year-old Bristol Bears tighthead prop who began her rugby journey at Dunfermline wrote.
She has been replaced by Christine Belisle.
Scotland Women’s Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Becky Boyd, Sarah Bonar, 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.
Helen Nelson is pictured kicking versus Canada – 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.