Helen Nelson admits it was “very special” to revisit her rugby roots earlier this year with trips to Jubilee Park in Ballachulish and Lochaber Rugby Club’s Banavie ground.
The Scotland stand-off now plays in the English top flight with Loughborough Lightning and when not down south she is usually in Scotland camp in Edinburgh, so she found it refreshing to take time out before the summer to head back to where it all started for her as part of a special video made by Scottish Rugby.
She went back to Jubilee Park in Ballachulish, the home of Ballachulish Shinty Club, where she first picked up a rugby ball as a very young girl playing for the Glencoe Golden Eagles alongside her brother Robbie.
Her rugby journey then progressed at Lochaber and, now 30, she has 60 Scotland caps to er name and is vice-captain of the national team.
“It was really cool,” she recounted of the trip a few months ago for the ‘Hometown Heroes’ feature.
“I hadn’t been back to where we played with the Glencoe Golden Eagles for a while and I hadn’t been back to Lochaber Rugby Club for a couple of years so being back was really cool.
“I have really fond memories and everyone is so supportive of me so it was very special to go back.”
Nelson and her Scotland team mates have just finished a four-week pre-season at Oriam on the outskirts of Edinburgh and a 30-strong squad that will be taking on Wales and Fiji in September Tests and then playing in the WXV 2 tournament in South Africa will be named next week.
“Wales are very physical and traditionally very good at the set piece so they’ll give our forwards a good test up front first up,” Nelson said about the Welsh showdown at Hive Stadium in the capital on September 6.
“I’ve played Fiji at sevens before but never 15s, they are very fit and love to offload, so that game [on September 14 at the Hive] will challenge us defensively which I’m sure Tyrone [Holmes, the defence coach] is relishing.
“We’re really excited for both Tests.
“We won WXV 2 last year, but in this pre-season block we haven’t actually haven’t spoken about winning the trophy itself again.
“We know that if we put in the performances, that will come, and I know it sounds cliched but if we get the next five games right, we’ll put ourselves in a really good spot for next year’s World Cup. It’s very much going to be game-by-game and focusing on our performances and getting better each week.”
When they get to WXV 2 this time around the Scots will play Italy on September 28, Japan on October 5 and Australia on August 12.
“We’ve been talking about that 14-month journey and each tournament – WXV 2 and then the Six Nations – is building towards the World Cup next August and September in England,” Nelson added.
“Building the depth in our squad is really important and we are seeing that now with the youngsters coming through.”
Scotland have now finished their four week pre-season and the 30-strong squad for the upcoming September Tests and WXV 2 will be named next week.
Scotland women’s training squad (uncapped in bold)
Forwards
Leah Bartlett
Gemma Bell
Christine Belisle
Holland Bogan
Sarah Bonar
Elliann Clarke
Lisa Cockburn
Eva Donaldson
Evie Gallagher
Jade Konkel
Rachel Malcolm
Elis Martin
Fiona McIntosh
Rachel McLachlan
Louise McMillan
Lana Skeldon
Alex Stewart
Emma Wassell
Anne Young
Backs
Cieron Bell
Beth Blacklock
Leia Brebner-Holden
Coreen Grant
Caity Mattinson
Jenny Maxwell
Mairi McDonald
Francesca McGhie
Liz Musgrove
Rhona Lloyd
Helen Nelson
Emma Orr
Lisa Thomson
Chloe Rollie
Lucia Scott
Meryl Smith
Day trainers invited into camp to support their development
Merryn Gunderson
Natasha Logan
Hannah Walker
Hannah Ramsay
Aila Ronald
Rachel Philipps added on August 12
Sky Phimister added on August 19
Helen Nelson is pictured taking training, thanks to Scottish Rugby for the still from this video
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