New era for Scotland's Women rugby team with Gary Parker at helm

GARY Parker has never been one to shy away from a challenge and he is looking forward to leading the Scotland's Women team as they head into the Six Nations next weekend.

New head coach Parker, assistant Jared Tuoro and the players know that they have to vastly improve on last year's showing when Scotland finished fifth having scored just 38 points and conceded 161.

And with a World Cup in England taking place later in the year the improvement has to come quickly, meaning that Parker has been a busy man since taking up the reigns from Jamie Dempsey last November.

The former Melrose, Biggar and Gala coach said: "I have really enjoyed the job so far and the work rate and desire shown by the girls has been superb. You can only find out so much about players in training though and I am looking forward to seeing how they cope in a competitive environment.

"It is clear that the team did not score enough points in last season's tournament and what myself and Jared have been trying to bring to the table is a more attacking strategy. It is good to be able to stop other teams, but you have to be able to score tries yourself to win matches."

One player who could be given the task of upping the try count is Celia Hawthorn whom the coaching staff were impressed with at full-back in a warm up game.

Back-row Lynne Reid will captain the side again and there will be a huge emphasis on her and other experienced campaigners to lead by example.

Indeed, the first thing Parker did when he took the post, as he has done with all previous coaching jobs, was to meet with the senior players to gauge their thoughts on the set-up.

And he and Tuoro, who are with the squad for a training camp in Stirling this weekend, have now put in place training sessions on Tuesday nights at Murrayfield after they quickly realised that the squad were not working as a group often enough.

This should help the team to have a bit more shape to it come the opening Six Nations match next Saturday against the French and although the new man at the helm admits to never having seen a Scotland Women's match in the flesh before he hopes they can hit the ground running.

"There is sometimes certain perceptions about women's rugby, but what I have found is a squad working as hard as any I have ever been involved with. They have a burning desire to win for their country and we are hoping to take steps to make them more competitive in 2010."

The competitiveness of the squad should be helped by an ever improving Scotland A squad and academy set-up and indeed the A team will play their French counterparts at Lasswade prior to the full match. These kick-off at 6 and 7.30pm respectively next Saturday and are free to attend.

Scotland Women's squad for the Six Nations: Beth Dickens, Cara D'Silva, Christina Ovenden, Donna Kennedy, Erin Kerr, Gilly McCord, Heather Lockhart, Joy Lyth, Katy Green, Keri Holdsworth, Laura Steven, Lindsay Wheeler, Louise Dalgliesh, Louise Moffat, Lucy Millard, Lynne Reid, Rosalind Murphy, Ruth Slaven, Celia Hawthorn, Sarah Gill, Sarah Quick, Sarah-Louise Walker, Susie Brown, Tanya Griffith, Veronica Fitzpatrick, Victoria Blakebrough.

SCOTLAND WOMEN'S SIX NATIONS FIXTURES

Sat 6 Feb: v France (Lasswade, 7.30pm)

Sun 14 Feb: v Wales (Bridgend, 2pm)

Sun 28 Feb: v Italy (Colleferro, 2.30pm)

Sat 13 Mar: v England (Meggetland, 1.30pm)

Fri 19 Mar: v Ireland (Ashbourne, 7.30pm)