Leia Brebner-Holden says making her Scotland debut on Friday night in the win over Wales was “absolutely great” and she cannot wait to kick on now.
The 22-year-old Gloucester-Hartpury scrum-half, who is also linked to Cheltenham Tigers and had some outings for Edinburgh Rugby in the Celtic Challenge last term, became cap number 239 when she came off the bench in the 47th minute at Hive Stadium in the Vodafone Series encounter.
At the time the score was 12-7 to the Scots and her pace and solid distribution allowed the team to go on and record a 40-14 triumph to make it nine Test wins in the last 12.
“I didn’t really know when I was going on, I don’t think I was expecting to go on quite as soon as I did, but I couldn’t be happier with the amount of time that I got on my first cap, I think that the experience was absolutely great,” the player said.
“My brief was to bring tempo to the game and I am quite happy with how I did with that.
“I am super happy with the speed of ball I was able to get the backs, for me that’s something that I really feel that I bring to the game, it is a big focus for me and I love coming off the bench and bringing that speed and tempo to the game.
“Now I have had a taste of it I’ll just keep building.”
Born in Somerset, Brebner-Holden began playing rugby as a youngster in Abu Dhabi in the UAE where she was living with her family.
She qualifies for Scotland via her mother from Inverness – “mum and dad were at the game and were just ecstatic afterwards”.
As well as Brebner-Holden, full-back Lucia Scott, 20, came on in the 69th minute to become cap number 240.
Presenting Brebner-Holden with her cap post-match, captain Rachel Malcolm said: “She has bided her time, she was around with us during the last competition [the Guinness Women’s Six Nations] and didn’t get a chance, but she never stopped working hard, she never stopped helping the group out and she always had a smile on her face.
Since she had her opportunities with the under-20s in the summer she has just gone from strength-to-strength and she is a phenomenal person and a phenomenal player, well done Leia.”
And on Brebner-Holden and Scott, head coach Bryan Esson said: “The two of them have been so blooming energetic all week. On the morning of the game I didn’t think they were going to make it as they were jumping about like nothing on earth!
“The two of them have been energetic right from the start.
“Their performances were just exceptional, Leia coming on, just that speed off the base was great.
Then Lucia taking that first high ball that she got, she grew into the game, then to give that pass for the final try and that shows that we’ve got some real talent coming through.
“They should really be proud of themselves.”
Brebner-Holden and Scotland are now preparing for Saturday’s match with Fiji.
Meanwhile, Sarah Law and the Barbarians lost 59-17 to South Africa on Saturday in Cape Town, but what an experience.
Scotland women’s squad and scorers in the Vodafone Series clash with Wales – you can read more about it here
15 Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders) (two tries and player of the match)
14 Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers) (two tries)
13 Emma Orr (Bristol Bears)
12 Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears) (one try)
11 Coreen Grant (Saracens)
10 Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning, V-C) (five conversions)
9 Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs)
1 Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers)
2 Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears)
3 Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)
4 Fi McIntosh (Saracens)
5. Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)
6 Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning, C)
7 Alex Stewart (Corstorphine Cougars)
8. Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears) (one try)
Subs all used
16 Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning)
17 Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning)
18 Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears)
19 Louise McMillan (Saracens)
20 Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)
21 Jade Konkel (Harlequins)
22 Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)
23 Lucia Scott (Gloucester-Hartpury/Hartpury University)
Leia Brebner-Holden is pictured alongside fellow new cap Lucia Scott, thanks to Scottish Rugby/SNS for the image
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