Scotland women’s rugby supporters can expect to see more exciting young players coming through the ranks like Alex Stewart in the next few years, according to assistant coach Tyrone Holmes.
Holmes and co met up again on Sunday at Oriam on the outskirts of Edinburgh to prepare for the first match of 2024/25 which is a Vodafone Series Test with Wales at Hive Stadium on Friday evening.
Before a week off they had an intensive four-week pre-season block and uncapped players coming in like Aila Ronald, Leia Brebner-Holden, Rachel Philipps and Lucia Scott have really impressed and have broken into the squad for this match, then the one against Fiji and the WXV 2 competition.
In the Guinness Women’s Six Nations earlier in the year back-row Alex Stewart, the Corstorphine Cougar who was 19 then and is 20 now, came from the outside to start every game and Holmes, who earned one cap himself for Scotland men in 2014, believes there is more where that came from as things build up to Rugby World Cup 2025 in England and beyond.
“When I got involved five years ago I was excited about where we could take the women’s game, especially in Scotland,” he said.
“I am not shocked about how quickly it has grown, I always thought that the potential was there and what I am excited about is the numbers now coming through at the age-grade level.
“I am excited about the young guns coming through and that is going to grow the game.
Their skill level is getting better and better every year and that is testament to the under-20s, the academies, the Celtic Challenge and more exposure to a higher level of rugby more consistently.
“That is producing some top quality players coming through – Alex Stewart is phenomenal, it is not every day that you find a gem like that, but look I think it is going to become more common because of the talent coming through the system.
“We had Evie Gallagher two years ago or so, Fran McGhie a year ago and Alex a few months ago – and now with the other young players coming through we will see more and more of these players who will really excite people.”
In terms of defence, Holmes’ main remit, Scotland have come on leaps and bounds in that area of late and that has had a big part to play in eight wins in the last 11 Tests.
“We believe that what we have got is working so if it is not broke don’t fix it, but there has definitely been some evolutions and some tweaks to make sure that while the women’s game develops we develop too because we are going to have more problems to solve in games,” he explained.
“We hope some of the work we have been working on over the last four weeks [in the pre-season block] is put into place on Friday and comes to fruition and we can start to see some even more tangible improvements in that area.”
The contact area has been another focus for the Scots during pre-season and Holmes added: “I think part of the reason potentially our [attack] shape was breaking down was because we were losing the ball at the breakdown or turning ball over and that didn’t allow us to get the quick ball we needed.
“That has been a big focus for us, teams are going to go hard in that contact area so we need to be better there.
“Fras [forwards coach Fraser Brown] has taken over in that area and is doing a great job. I am hoping and positive we will see some reward for the hard work the girls have been putting in come Friday.”
The Scotland matchday 23 to face Wales will be named on Wednesday – second-row/back-row Louise McMillan has been added to the group for this game and the Fiji game.
Scotland women’s squad for the Vodafone Series and WXV 2 (uncapped in bold plus Louise McMillan (Saracens) in for the Vodafone Series)
Forwards
Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers)
Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)
Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)
Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears)
Lisa Cockburn (Gloucester Hartpury)
Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)
Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears)
Jade Konkel (Harlequins)
Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning)
Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning)
Fiona McIntosh (Saracens)
Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier)
Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears)
Aila Ronald (University of Edinburgh)
Alex Stewart (Corstorphine Cougars)
Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning)
Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning)
Backs
Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)
Coreen Grant (Saracens)
Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders)
Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs)
Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers)
Rhona Lloyd (GB 7s/ Stade Bordelais)
Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning)
Emma Orr (Bristol Bears)
Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks)
Lisa Thomson (GB 7s/Ealing Trailfinders)
Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders)
Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury)
Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)
Alex Stewart is pictured as is Tyrone Holmes, thanks to Scottish Rugby/SNS
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