Easson names extended training squad

Scotland Women Head Coach, Bryan Easson, has announced an extended training squad ahead of the side hosting Wales and Fiji in two Autumn Tests before heading to Cape Town in September for WXV 2.

The 35-player squad, which comprises 19 forwards and 16 backs, will convene in camp on Monday 29 July for four weeks, before a squad of 30 is selected for the upcoming international fixtures.

Easson has named five uncapped players, including Cieron Bell and Leia Brebner-Holden, who were all previously selected for the extended squad in the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Brebner-Holden, who recently featured for Scotland Women U20 in the Six Nations Summer Series in Parma, returns alongside her age-grade teammates Holland Bogan, Lucia Scott Gemma Bell, who have all earned their first call up to the senior squad.

Also named in the squad are Jenny Maxwell, Jade Konkel, Beth Blacklock and Liz Musgrove, as they all make their return following spells with injury which ruled them out of the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Sarah Bonar has also been selected for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury in Scotland’s historic victory over Wales in the Six Nations earlier this year.

GB Sevens double-Olympian, Lisa Thomson, has also been selected and will join the squad following her time in Paris.

Alongside the selected 35 players, Scotland Women U20 stars Merryn Gunderson, Natasha Logan, Hannah Walker, Hannah Ramsay and Aila Ronald will be invited into camp as day trainers to support their development.

On his squad selection, Easson said: “It can’t be understated the importance of these next few months as we look to ensure Scotland Women qualify for the Rugby World Cup 2025 and maintain a top eight World Ranking position whilst competing in Cape Town. I believe this group can take us there.

“The level of blended experience we have is unlike any Scotland Women’s team that has come before it. A few months ago, Meryl Smith, Evie Gallagher and Elliann Clarke were involved in the Premiership Women’s Rugby final against Gloucester-Hartpury, Alex Stewart has been one of the break-through stars of the Six Nations and we’ve seen Louise McMillan and Rhona Lloyd both earn their fiftieth caps.

“This is also a crucial time in the calendar cycle to bring in new faces and challenge our group. The likes of Leia Brebner-Holden, Gemma Bell, Holland Bogan and Lucia Scott have all played well during the Summer Series and we’re looking forward to offering them up this opportunity to join us. It is equally very pleasing to welcome Jenny Maxwell, Jade Konkel and Liz Musgrove back into our environment after an extended period out with injury.

“The next few weeks are going to be all about focusing on how we best prepare ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead not only in the immediate future but the upcoming year.”

In a change off the field, Assistant Coach Martin Haag has departed from the management team. The former Bath and England player worked as a coaching consultant with USA Women’s team during the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand before joining officially in February 2023.

Glasgow Warriors centurion Fraser Brown, who has recently coached Watsonian FC in the Super Series and the women’s Warriors’ side in the Celtic Challenge, joins the team on a consultancy basis as the Forwards Coach up to and during the WXV 2 tournament.

Easson added: “We’re very pleased to welcome Fraser to our coaching group. Fraser has a wealth of experience in high performance sport as both a player and coach, and we are really looking forward to working with him.

“I’d like to express my gratitude to Martin for his commitment and contribution to Scotland Women over the years, and we all wish him well for the future.”

On his appointment, Brown said: “I’m both honoured and excited about the opportunity to work with Scotland Women’s players and management group.
“I’ve both seen and experienced first-hand the growth and potential of the women’s game in Scotland after my time coaching in the Celtic Challenge, and I’m really excited to see what we can achieve as a group.”

Scotland Women Extended Training Squad

Forwards

Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers)

Gemma Bell (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury/Edinburgh Rugby)**

Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)

Holland Bogan (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)**

Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)

Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears)

Lisa Cockburn (Leicester Tigers)

Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)

Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears)

Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning)

Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning)

Fiona McIntosh (Saracens)

Rachel McLachlan (Unattached/Montpellier)

Louise McMillan (Saracens)

Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears)

Alex Stewart (Corstorphine Cougars/Edinburgh Rugby)

Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning)

Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning)

Backs

Cieron Bell (University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Rugby)**

Beth Blacklock (Saracens)

Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)**

Coreen Grant (Saracens)

Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders)

Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs)

Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers)

Liz Musgrove (Ealing Trailfinders)

Rhona Lloyd (GB 7s/ Stade Bordelais)

Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning)

Emma Orr (Bristol Bears)

Lisa Thomson (GB 7s/Ealing Trailfinders)

Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders)

Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury)**

Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)

**Uncapped player