Women take over Murrayfield for finals day

Players from six rugby clubs are looking forward to taking part in the biggest matches of their season tomorrow on RBS Women’s Finals Day at Murrayfield.

The main attraction during the afternoon will be the Sarah Beaney Cup final when recently crowned top-flight champions Hillhead/Jordanhill take on RHC Cougars on the main pitch at the national stadium at 3pm. Hillhead/Jordanhill are still riding high going in to this one and Fiona Reardon, who is their team manager and starts on the bench, said: “To play on the main pitch will be great for us and the squad have been training really hard this week. We have had a great season and to win the double would be the icing on the cake.”

For Hills, experienced prop Heather Lockhart will be key as always, as will fellow Scotland caps Jade Konkel and Megan Gaffney. RHC Cougars defeated Murrayfield Wanderers in extra-time in their semi-final, but are missing captain Steph Johnston with a broken foot.

In the Plate final at 1pm, Melrose take on Stirling County. Stirling County won the RBS Women’s Club of the Year last term and have clinched Premier Two. They have been involved on finals day in the last three seasons and last year won the Plate. Kelly Johnstone starts at hooker tomorrow and was one of the co-founders of the club back in 2008. She said: “We are all looking forward to being involved on finals day again. It is great for the club and shows how far we have come in the last few years.”

The day starts at 11am when Morgan and Glasgow University take to the back pitches in the Bowl. For a number of Morgan’s players it marks a very quick rise for them, given that they had not picked up a rugby ball ever before in the summer of 2011.