Hollie Cunningham and Adelle Ferrie earned new caps after their Scotland debuts on March 22 versus Wales in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations – and the whole squad that day earned new blue glasses thanks to superfan Millie Rorison.
The 12-year-old, who is in first year at school and plays for Marr Girls under-14 club and school teams, was at Hive Stadium to watch the victory and afterwards presented all the players involved with personalised glasses.
They certainly brought smiles to their faces on such a wet evening and the players loved them so much that scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden had them on the top of her head when she attended her post-match media duties.
Millie takes up the story: “I found a pair of blue heart glasses at the bottom of my rugby bag one day and decided to decorate them to wear at the Scotland-Wales game.
“That’s when the idea came to me to make glasses for the whole squad. I asked my mum to order me a full set of the blue heart glasses so I could make them for the players on the Scotland teamsheet for that match.
“Last year I made phone charms for some of them but I wanted to make each of the players something of their own this time.
“I sat on the living room floor after school on the Wednesday before the game and spent the majority of the afternoon and night sticking the gems around the lenses and using paint pens to write on the names and numbers of the players on each pair and a saltire.
“After each of the Scotland games at the Hive I leave my seat in the 75th minute and run to the tunnel. I watch the last five minutes of the game from there and then wait for the team to walk off the pitch and I try and get as close as I can depending on the barriers.
“Once the team start to come off the pitch they come over to talk to supporters and I just shout their names and they come over. Most of them remember me because I’m always at the games cheering them on, on their socials and getting them to sign things.
“I gave most of the players their glasses personally and they were so grateful and loved them.
“For the players I never got to see I asked Jade Konkel to pass their glasses on to them in the changing rooms which she did. I actually made some of the team personalised phone charms last year.
“All of the team were so buzzing with their glasses, I think they were shocked that they all got a pair each and loved that we matched!
“Rhona Lloyd and Elis Martin posted a photo of them on their socials wearing them after the game it was so cool that they wore them and I loved that they took a photo and shared it, that was really special.”
Millie mentioned the phone charms she made for some of the players last year and Francesca McGhie featured the one she made her in her Game Day Essentials video on Scottish Rugby social media channels.
“I was so surprised to see that, but so pleased that she kept it,” Millie said.
“In the video, she mentioned she didn’t want to put it on her phone in case it broke so I actually made her a duplicate and gave it to her along with her glasses at the end of the Scotland-Wales game.”
Millie started playing rugby when she was in primary five and has always been at Marr since.
“Rugby builds my strength and teamwork skills,” she explained.
“It’s a sport where I get to play with my friends and meet new people and build lifelong friendships.
“I love the physicality and pace of rugby it’s not like any other sport. It keeps me disciplined and makes me want to work hard on and off the pitch so that I can keep building and make it my career in the future.
“I also love having the Scotland women as role models. They inspire me to be the best I can be and prove that girls can be strong and successful in rugby.
“I love going to their games and being part of the atmosphere and look forward to seeing them at the end of the game on their way back to the changing rooms as they always spend time talking to me and my team mates and others.”
Scotland are back in action in round three of the Six Nations on April 13 at home to Italy and Millie will be at that one and cannot wait.
“I get a season ticket each year and will be at all the home games in this Six Nations,” Millie, who travelled to the Wales game with her mum and dad said.
“We also tried to get flights to go to the France game but there were no flights going direct to La Rochelle so we just had to watch from home. I’ll be at the Italy and Ireland games for sure and I can’t wait.
“My favourite players are Rhona Lloyd and Fran McGhie. I love that they always make time for me to catch up with them after games and I love what they bring to the team on the pitch.
“I love the vibe Rhona brings to the team and I love Fran’s determination to get a try every game in her lucky boots!
“They are both creative and fast on the pitch and I want to be as good as them when I get a bit older. Rhona has been my role model since I started playing and she came to train with us at Marr.
“I’ve followed her since she was with the Scotland Sevens squad all the way through her time there, with GB Sevens and with Scotland 15s.
“Although they are my favourites, I value and like all of the players as I know how much of a team sport rugby really is and that they all have an important role to play on the pitch.”
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations runs from March 22 to April 26 and, next up, Scotland are at Hive Stadium in round three versus Italy on April 13 – get tickets for the two Scotland remaining home games here.
Millie Rorison’s glasses making process, her day out at the Wakes match and the Scotland players wearing the glasses are pictured
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