Gary Heatly in Bristol
If Scotland are to have any chance of causing an upset against England on Sunday in the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final then the backline will need to be firing.
Out of the 14 tries that the team scored in the pool stages in three games 12 of them were by the backs. Leia Brebner-Holden, Helen Nelson, Francesca McGhie, Lisa Thomson, Emma Orr, Rhona Lloyd and Rollie have started all three games in jerseys 9-15.
The same seven players will be starting at Bristol’s Ashton Gate (4pm, live on BBC One) and 28-year-old centre Thomson, who will be winning her 75th cap, said: “I think we’ve got a good group, a real good blend.
“For example, it is Francesca’s first World Cup and she’s absolutely thriving on the pitch. To have some the three players of the calibre of her, Rhona and Chloe is incredible and we take confidence from them.
“So hopefully we go out and play and be free.
“We’re not shying away from the history of our games against England, but we obviously go into each game looking to win and I think this is the best we’ve ever been prepared.
“If you’ve watched our last few games our attack has been firing, our defence has been firing and I think this is the best we’ve ever felt.
“We are prepared, we are all on the same page and we’re looking forward to Sunday.”
McGhie, the 22-year-old winger who has bagged six tries in three games, added: “I think it does help playing week in week out with the same people in the backline, we’re all on the same page I think this game plan follows all of our strengths.
“We just work pretty well together and I think it’s been evident.
This is my first World Cup, but obviously the girls made it to the last one as well and I think we had such a belief in ourselves going into the first game against Wales this time around.
“And the game that we played against Canada last week was a really good test for us as they are second in the world.
“England are first in the world, but I think we’ve said before that they’ve not seen this Scotland before so we’re just excited to see what we can do.
“I have real faith in the squad that we will put in a performance that we will be proud of.”
Scotland squad to play England: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Francesca McGhie; Helen Nelson, Leia Brebner-Holden; Leah Bartlett, Lana Skeldon, Christine Belisle, Emma Wassell, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (C), Evie Gallagher, Jade Konkel. Subs: Elis Martin, Molly Wright, Molly Poolman, Eva Donaldson, Rachel McLachlan, Alex Stewart, Caity Mattinson, Evie Wills.
The England matchday 23 is here.
Lisa Thomson and Francesca McGhie 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.