Scotland 'door not closed' on players who miss out on World Cup

Louise McMillan was omitted from Scotland's pre-World Cup training squad

Scotland head coach Bryan Easson says he will not close the door on international rugby for those players who miss out on his squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup.

Easson has named a 38-player training squad prior to the tournament in England this summer.

Among those to miss out was experienced lock Louise McMillan, who said in an Instagram post: "There was a slow dawning that despite injuries in my position, I wouldn't be recalled, confirming the painful truth that my journey with this coaching team was nearing its end. My World Cup dream, my professional contract, slipped from my grasp."

Easson says there will always be tough decisions on who to leave out of the World Cup squad, but that it need not signal an end of Test careers.

"These selections are very, very difficult," Easson told BBC Scotland.

"But to leave out players now actually shows the strength of Scotland women's rugby. So some players who do have a legacy, some players who do have given a lot to Scotland women's rugby over the years, will miss out and it's always tough.

"But the door's never closed for those players. It's just a moment in time, it's a selection that we have to make, it's a selection that we believe at this moment in time is right.

"No matter who they are, if they're playing well, they'll be the ones that are selected and that's how we have to push this team forward and that's how you get better performances on the field."