Scotland’s most experienced current player Lana Skeldon admits she never thought the day would come during her career when the women’s national team would be playing a standalone fixture in front of around 30,000 supporters at Murrayfield.
But that day is here and, ahead of the Women’s Six Nations round two clash with world champions England in Edinburgh on Saturday (1.30pm, live on BBC), hooker Skeldon is “so excited”.
The Hawick-raised player will be earning her 86th cap in this much-anticipated contest and that will put her level with Karen Findlay in third place in Scotland women’s all-time caps list.
Only Donna Kennedy (115) and Heather Lockhart (89) have represented Scotland women more times, but when Skeldon’s international journey began in 2011 days like this one seemed like a pipe dream.
Her debut came at a modest club ground in front of a small crowd in Amsterdam in late 2011 when she had just turned 18.
Scotland won that one versus the Netherlands 33-10, but Skeldon then had to wait three years until cap number two arrived away to Italy in a 45-5 loss in the Six Nations of 2014 in a contest played at a club ground in Rome.
Her first home cap came soon after in a 69-0 defeat to France and the game was held at Lasswade’s Hawthornden ground in Bonnyrigg. No official attendance figure was recorded that day, but it would have been a few hundred at most and certainly not 30,000.
“My first home venue with Scotland was Lasswade,” the now 32-year-old who plays for Bristol Bears in England’s PWR top flight recounts.
“When we were at Lasswade it was never like ‘whoa, there’s a big crowd here’. The supporters were loud, don’t get me wrong, but the banking on the far side, for instance, wasn’t full even if the one small stand that is there was.
To come from that to then being in front of 30,000 people, it’s actually quite mesmerising, to be honest. It’s quite hard to digest at times, but, obviously, I’m just absolutely buzzing.
“I didn’t think in my time of playing a game and an occasion like the one we are getting ready for would ever happen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely buzzing that I’m still playing at the top level when this chance has come around, but I thought we’d have more likely seen it in five years’ time or something, but it’s so good that it’s here now.
“I’m obviously so grateful to be part of it and it just shows how rapidly the women’s game in Scotland and throughout the world has grown.”
In total, the women’s national team has played eight games at Murrayfield before starting with Sweden in 2002, two games in 2004, two in 2005, two in 2006 and one in 2020.
The first seven of those were played as double headers alongside men’s games and the latter – versus England which Skeldon played in – was on its own, but was played behind closed doors due to Storm Ciara.
And there is often a storm on the pitch when England are in town.
The Red Roses have not lost to Scotland since 1999 and have won 28 match ups in a row between the old rivals. In 33 total meetings since the first one in 1994, England have won 31 and Scotland just two.
England are also after a 35th Test win on the spin and Skeldon concluded: “It is just relentless when you play England, they are so powerful, but we want to show everyone just how much we have grown.
“It’s going to be quite a spectacle.”
- The other round two games see Wales play France at Cardiff Arms Park (3.35pm, live on BBC) and Ireland are hosting Italy at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway (5.40pm, live on BBC).
- Over 25,000 tickets have been sold for Scotland-England, join in the fun by getting tickets here – before the senior game at 1.30pm at Murrayfield the under-21 sides from both countries are meeting at Hive Stadium at 11am.
Lana Skeldon is pictured – thanks to Scottish Rugby
The Women’s Six Nations is here and the 2026 event runs from April 11 to May 17 and, between April 6 and May 20, GH Media will be covering Scotland’s campaign and the wider tournament – keep an eye out for content and thanks to everyone who supports GH Media’s work within women’s rugby