There were smiles and tears of joy aplenty on Saturday evening at Hive Stadium as second-row duo Hollie Cunningham and Adelle Ferrie were presented with their Scotland caps after making debuts versus Wales.
The pair helped Scotland to defeat Wales in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations opener 24-21 with Cunningham, now cap 241, playing 75 minutes and Ferrie, now cap 242, replacing her for the last five minutes.
In front of a crowd of 4,234 at Hive Stadium this clash had everything – tries, disallowed tries, TMO checks aplenty and yellow and red cards – as the hosts just did about enough to get over the line.
Sarah Bonar, Emma Orr and Leah Bartlett scored tries and Player of the Match Helen Nelson kicked nine points in the 24-21 triumph in Edinburgh. Highlights and details can be found here.
Cunningham qualifies for the Scots via her now Weymouth-based grandmother Gwenda who was born in Aberdeen.
And after the 25-year-old Bristol Bears’ player’s debut skipper Rachel Malcolm said: “I don’t have words to describe how good she was, she was phenomenal.
“I didn’t know Hollie as a person before the last couple of weeks, but she has come in and done so well. She is just phenomenal as a person and as a player and she’s brought energy into the environment.
“I’ve never seen someone come into an international environment and drive standards the way that she has from day one.
“As a newer player she is not afraid to voice opinions and to challenge the likes of myself make the team better.
“I always say everyone has the ability to influence and everyone has the ability to lead and it doesn’t matter if you’re a captain, a vice-captain or you’ve been here for a few weeks – and Hollie has certainly influenced those around her.
“I’m really excited about how she’s going to help drive this team going forward.”
Head coach Bryan Easson added: “I thought Hollie was excellent in the first half in particular. Her lineout work was great and her contact stuff was brilliant and she can be very proud of that debut.”
Ferrie, 27, was called upon late on to come on and help the team see the game out and, in the biggest game of her life, the Corstorphine Cougars and Edinburgh Rugby player did just that.
She one two lineouts as Scotland got there for a crucial win and Ferrie’s emotion at the end was there for all to see.
Malcolm said: “You can tell she is a little bit starstruck to be in this position, but she did so well.
“I don’t think she would have thought even a couple of months ago this opportunity was around the corner, but she has worked incredibly hard. The difference in her as a rugby player from a month ago to now is like something I’ve never seen before.
“She’s so willing to learn and she’s an absolute specimen. She has so much potential and it shows a lot about her character that she could come on late in the game, hold her nerve, get her lineout job right for those two pretty crucial moments and help us see out.”
Easson added: “Adelle coming on and taking two of those lineouts at the end was excellent.
“She said she feels like she’s in a dream and that’s brilliant.”
And Malcolm concluded: “After the game we did a cap presentation with everyone’s families there. I think Adelle was a little bit emotional and Hollie too.
“I’m extremely proud of both of them and how well they’ve done since coming into the environment and we are really excited about the future.”
- After her 20-minute red card on Saturday. Scotland No.8 Evie Gallagher will face an independent disciplinary hearing on Monday evening.
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations runs from March 22 to April 26 and, after a trip to France in round two on March 29, Scotland are at Hive Stadium in round three versus Italy on April 13 – get tickets for the two Scotland remaining home games here.
Scotland squad that played Wales: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Francesca McGhie; Helen Nelson, Leia Brebner-Holden; Anne Young, Lana Skeldon, Elliann Clarke, Hollie Cunningham, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (C), Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher. Subs used: Elis Martin, Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Adelle Ferrie, Alex Stewart, Jade Konkel, Caity Mattinson. Sub unused: Evie Wills.
New Scotland caps Hollie Cunningham and Adelle Ferrie are pictured – thanks to Scottish Rugby for the photo
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