Gary Parker's disdain for the women's game is a thing of the past

GARY PARKER has always had a cheeky word or ten and he can remember the day when he used to laugh about women's rugby.

Not anymore. At around noon today the diminutive coach will be a bouncing ball of optimism, fists clenched and eyes fixed on the action as Scotland's leading female rugby players take the field, his hopes of claiming a slice of World Cup history wrapped up in their ability to upset the much-fancied Canada team.

The Canadians are one of the world's leading women's sides having reached the semi-finals of the last three tournaments, the 2006 event being hosted by them, and have stated they are out to go at least one better this time. They also boast the top try-scorer of the last tournament, Heather Moyse, who briefly quit rugby to focus on bobsleighing and duly struck gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Scotland have not been far behind them, however, even beating the Canadians to fifth spot and the shield in the 1994 tournament, hosted by Scotland, and reaching that fifth/sixth place play-off in all three tournaments since, only to lose out to the USA and Australia, twice.

Parker has spent some time analysing how Scotland's opponents have prepared for this event in putting the finishing touches to the kind of game-plan he believes best suits his own players and can nullify the threat of Canada, France and Sweden.

Aside from the benefit good preparation provides a coach, he explained that the chief reason for sporting his customary confident smile this week is the improvement he has witnessed by his team, some of whom carried Scotland to fifth in the last three tournaments, and has put them in a position of confidence as they bid for a first-ever place in the last four.

He stated: "When I took over at the start of the year we went to Ireland and they beat us 50-0 in a training game. We played them in the Six Nations in March and everyone said they would stuff us. They won 15-3 but after we'd been level 3-3 at half-time.

"Then, two weeks ago they came to Lasswade for a training match and we beat them 20-15. So, if you want to judge the players' improvement, fitness, game understanding and skills it's there."

He could have thrown in his first Test result against France too, a 10-8 win at the start of the Six Nations that ended a six-game and six-year losing run, as the French are next Tuesday's World Cup opponents. The Scots need two wins to harbour hopes of a semi-final spot and now is not the time to end an unbeaten run of wins over Sweden, the final pool opposition next Saturday.Parker, a former professional footballer, rugby player and American Football kicker, added: "Many people sitting at home probably have no idea of the quality of women's rugby these days, and will be pretty negative about the Women's World Cup, so it's up to us to make them sit up and notice.

"I took on this job because, to be honest, I was ignorant and I took the decision to get involved and learn a bit about it for myself. I knew the players had commitment and what they have to do to get themselves to this level, while working, really puts male players in the shade, but the skills and professionalism have really impressed me.

"I've had to deal with a lot less petted players than I have in men's rugby and the difference in skill levels between the first women's game I saw about 15 years ago and now is just night and day. We have a number of players, like Donna Kennedy, Lucy Millard and Susie Brown for example, who are among the best in the world in their positions, and one of the best kickers in women's rugby, Nicola Halfpenny.

"During the Six Nations we were getting penalties and making alright yardage, but then Nicola came in and she turned penalties on our own 10-metre line into attacking lineouts in the opposition 22."

Parker knows that potentially he has a great blend in this squad, from Kennedy, who wins her 111th cap today and skipper Lynne Reid on her 51st, Millard and Veronica Fitzpatrick to the skilful newcomers Halfpenny, Celia Hawthorn and Alison MacDonald, but it is getting the blends right inside the next eight days that matters now.

"The thing that makes it easy for me and Jared (Tuoro, assistant coach]" he added, "is that we're dealing with a group of rugby players that want to get better, and are passionate about representing their country. I have coached the way I'd coach any men's team and that has meant setting the bar high, a lot of hard sessions and straight-talking, and they have responded.

"I'm not daft. We have some experienced players but also a lot of new caps who are still learning and we're seeded outside the top eight so it's probably harder this year to get to fifth than it was before.

"There's no hiding place at a World Cup. If you don't turn up and don't play well you'll be punished, but we believe we can beat every team in our pool if we get it right on the pitch."

Scotland: N Halfpenny (Melrose); C Hawthorn (Edinburgh University), L Millard (Team Northumbria), S Newton (Team Northumbria), V Fitzpatrick (Royal High Cougars); E Kerr (London Wasps), L Dalgliesh (Royal High Cougars), H Lockhart (Hillhead/Jordanhill), S Walker (Watsonians), B Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers), G McCord (Royal High Cougars), L Wheeler (Darlington Mowden Park), L Reid (Royal High Cougars) capt, D Kennedy (Worcester), S Brown (Richmond).Subs: A Macdonald (Royal High Cougars), R Murphy (Edinburgh University), R Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers), K Holdsworth (Watsonians), S Gill (Murrayfield Wanderers), T Griffith (Royal High Cougars), S Johnston (Hillhead/Jordanhill).