Scotland head coach Bryan Easson says “the coaches and players involved with the full squad are so proud of the under-18s” after their win over England.
On Tuesday the youngsters played some great rugby and scored three excellent converted tries to defeat England 21-12 in a 35-minute match at the under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival at Wellington College down south.
Scarlett Down (Horsham), Bethan Mathieson (Dunfermline) and Aisla Merryweather (Hull Ioanians) scored the tries with Niamh Waters (Biggar) converting all three.
“It was really exciting to watch, the game was on over lunchtime so we managed to grab a plate of food and put it on YouTube at our training camp,” Easson said.
“We watched that 35 minutes and was so good to see. I messaged Lindsey Smith [the under-18 head coach] afterwards just to say how proud we all were to see the talent that is coming through.
“It was really great to see the excitement in the squad after the game, the elation on their faces. It is well deserved.
“It is difficult at under-18 level when you play the like of England and the French, but just to see players coming through that programme and knowing we have got a pathway coming through is really exciting for the future.”
The Scotland under-18 team lost out to Wales 21-7 and France 55-0 last Friday in their first two matches at the event before beating England and losing to Ireland 22-7 on Tuesday.
Those were all 35-minute matches, but on Saturday they will end their run at the event with a 70-minute contest versus Italy at 4.30pm. On the same day at 4.45pm, Easson and his troops in the full squad will be facing up to England in Leicester in round four of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
All Scotland’s under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival fixtures will be broadcast live on Scottish Rugby’s website.
Scotland under-18 squad
Forwards
Kara Borthwick (Currie Chieftains)
Scarlet Down (Horsham)
Cailin Lardner (Stirling County)
Eve Mackay (Strathendrick)
Aisla Merryweather (Hull Ionians)
Ellie Moffat (Watsonians)
Daisy Morrison (Stirling County)
Ellen Nimmo (Boroughmuir Banshees)
Alina Prokopenko (Dalkeith)
Ella Rae (Stirling County)
Mary Rudd (Henley College)
Imogen Spence (Biggar, co-captain)
Pip Sutherland (Old Reigatians)
Gemma Thomson (Stirling County, co-captain)
Amy Vance (Dumfries Saints)
Estella Vaughan (Guildfordians)
Backs
Katherine Bird (Northern)
Lisa Brown (University of Edinburgh)
Ellie Campbell (Ivybridge)
Eilidh Comerford (West of Scotland)
Josie Foubister (University of Edinburgh)
Lucy Giles (Dumfries Saints)
Scarlett Haddow (Stirling County)
Nina Hausrath (Stirling County)
Bethan Mathieson (Dunfermline)
Poppy Mellanby (Biggar)
Tamzin Rosie (Caithness)
Niamh Waters (Biggar)
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations runs from March 22 to April 26 and, next up at home, Scotland are at Hive Stadium in round five versus Ireland on the final day – get tickets here.
The Scotland under-18 squad is pictured – thanks to Six Nations
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