Scotland told to be 'clinical' as disappointing Six Nations campaign reaches conclusion

Scotland head coach Bryan Easson has made one last call for his charges to be “clinical” in this year’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations as the experienced squad look to end a disappointing campaign on a high versus Ireland in Belfast on Saturday evening.

Head coach Bryan Easson during a Scotland women's rugby training session at BT Murrayfield ahead of the Ireland.

Ever since the Scots coughed up try scoring opportunities against England in round one on March 26, the message from Easson has been the same.

And while the squad have played some nice rugby in parts, four defeats from four tells its own story.

Now they need to win the round five clash in the Kingspan Stadium on ‘Super Saturday’ (8pm, live on BBC Scotland) to have any chance of getting off the bottom of the table.

And they will not have a better opportunity to record an away victory given that Easson has had the relative luxury of being able to pick an unchanged starting XV while Ireland are coming off the back of a 69-0 thumping to England and have a number of key players away playing sevens in Canada.

Scotland’s starting XV has 460 caps to Ireland’s 216 while the bench - to which Eva Donaldson, Mairi McDonald and Emma Orr have been added - has 138 caps to Ireland’s 74.

Easson said: “Clinical is the word, we have not been clinical, but I do believe the belief is there in the squad.

“As a coaching group we have been honest with them, we build the pressure on opponents and then release it far too easily and far too quickly.

“We just have to show patience and not force the issue.

“It has been a tough Six Nations in terms of the results, but we have also been in good positions in games and let them go. It is all about this weekend and putting a performance together.”

Scotland team to face Ireland: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Lisa Thomson, Helen Nelson, Shona Campbell; Sarah Law, Caity Mattinson; Molly Wright, Lana Skeldon, Christine Belisle, Emma Wassell, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (C), Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher, Jade Konkel. Subs: Jodie Rettie, Leah Bartlett, Katie Dougan, Louise McMillan, Eva Donaldson, Mairi McDonald, Emma Orr, Megan Gaffney.