Six Nations: Scots women seek rare victory

SCOTLAND’S Women are at Scotstoun Stadium this afternoon (2pm) looking for their first win in this year’s Six Nations.

Susie Brown and her team followed up an opening 76-0 loss to England with improved performances, but still losses, against Italy (8-0) and Ireland (30-3). Ireland yesterday clinched the Six Nations when England beat Italy 34-0, giving the Irish an unbeatable lead.

In both the Italy and the Ireland matches, the Scots had long periods of pressure, but their failure to score mean they struggled.

The trio of defeats, added to winless Six Nations campaigns in 2011 and 2012, has led some around the camp to label today’s encounter with the Welsh a “must-win” game. It is followed next week by the final match against France and then crucial World Cup qualifiers in April.

Wales come into this one after defeats to Ireland and France and a tight victory against Italy.

Scotland head coach Karen Findlay said: “It will, as always against Wales, be a physical contest, a hard battle up front and in the backrow division, and both sides recognise the importance of a win. We now need to build on the recent performance.”

Her opposite number Rhys Edwards has made five changes to his starting XV and said: “As a squad we’ve always talked about ‘performance’ and although we were up against it when we played France, we gained a lot of confidence from our win against Italy where the girls got the job done.”

For Scotland, Laura Steven marks her return from long-term injury with a start at centre, while Bridget Millar-Mills comes back into the second-row after Becca Parker was injured in her first start against Ireland. Lindsey Smith, Lauren Harris and Lyndsay O’Donnell are brought on to the bench.