Inside Scotland’s chaotic World Cup build-up

Scotland v. Wales Rugby World Cup 2025:

Salford Community Stadium Date: Saturday, August 23rd Kick-off: 14:45 BST

Scotland’s preparation for the Women’s Rugby World Cup this year was chaotic, to put it mildly.

They face Wales on Saturday in Salford, and their opening match is crucial if they want to win in a pool that also includes Fiji and Canada.

However, a dispute involving contracts between the playing squad and Scottish Rugby has emerged in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

Rancour among the players has also been caused by the impending departure of head coach Bryan Easson and the timing of his announcement to leave so soon before the tournament.

A squad representative contacted the BBC to inform them that some World Cup training camp participants were still “suffering with their mental and emotional health as a result of their potential contracts being terminated” in June.

Scottish rugby chief executive Alex Williamson acknowledged it was an “uncomfortable situation” that would be resolved before the tournament when he later addressed BBC Scotland.

However, Rhona Lloyd, a wing from Scotland, claimed that the resolution reached had left “more than half” of the 32-player squad without contracts after the World Cup.

Captain Rachel Malcolm called the situation “very disruptive,” said Scottish Rugby “probably haven’t had too much sympathy for our case,” and said the players had been placed in an unfair position.

Malcolm wanted to put a stop to the conflict and concentrate on rugby as the tournament got closer, but she acknowledged that the incident had had had an impact on her.

She stated on BBC’s Scotland Rugby Podcast, “I’ve been through many a tough time in this role, not just in the last six months.”

“I have inside knowledge of these girls. I am aware of the factors that determine their functioning and personality. Simply put, I’m very guard over them.

Easson, head coach, announced last month that he would be stepping down immediately following the World Cup.

After what he described as “sticky” discussions with the SRU regarding his future, he declined to confirm whether he was leaving at his own volition.

The announcement, which came just over a month before the tournament, came as “a shock,” according to Malcolm, who said it was upsetting.

Easson and others both agreed that the timing was problematic, but they are determined to go all-out.

He told the Scotland Rugby Podcast that “the fact that it’s the last dance does give it a little edge,” “. What this group can do just makes me so happy.

“We’ve experienced some incredible highs, but also some incredible lows, and we’ve been through a lot together.” Some of the hardship we’ve experienced probably contribute to the group’s strength, in my opinion.

Scotland’s mainstay is to lessen the pain from the most recent World Cup in 2022, which is one of its driving factors.

The Scots had entered the tournament for the first time in 12 years, but agonizing defeats from Australia and Wales (by two points) forced them to withdraw from the pool.

“My mouth is definitely still sour,” Malcolm said. We probably underestimated how much relief we experienced from being there.

“I’m not sure if we entered that with the right perspective and determination in mind.”

This World Cup is unique, in my opinion. In terms of qualifications, we’ve done it again for the first time in a very long time.