2021 Rugby World Cup: Scottish Rugby cash gives women's squad 11 weeks preparation
- Published
Bryan Easson (left) will have his squad together for 11 weeks ahead of the finals
Scotland's squad for the women's Rugby World Cup finals will be able to train full-time thanks to an "unprecedented" support package from Scottish Rugby.
The governing body says it takes its investment in the squad "beyond £500,000 in 2022 alone".
Head coach Bryan Easson described it is "a huge boost" ahead of their first finals in 12 years this autumn.
"To have the players training from Monday to Friday for 11 weeks will be hugely beneficial," he said.
"We will be able to go into a lot more depth and detail in our on-field and off-field work than ever before."
Scotland are in Pool A along with Australia, Wales and defending champions and hosts New Zealand for the finals, delayed from 2021 and starting on 8 October.
Easson's largely part-time squad qualified through a repechage tournament that culminated in a 59-3 win over Columbia in February.
Individual financial agreements have been made with 36 players, paying for time taken out of work or study and in line with their current personal salaries/situations, in addition to payments for being selected for Scotland camps and matches.
It means Easson will have access to his squad over 11 weeks of training, including two full match-weeks, ahead of a pair of warm-up fixtures before the team travel to New Zealand in late September.
SRU director of high performance Jim Mallinder said: "The players are completely committed to taking this opportunity to perform on the global stage and we are therefore backing them with one of the largest single investment programmes the female game in Scotland has seen.
"The agreements give players support tailored to their own individual circumstances and allows them to focus on preparing for New Zealand."
The scheme has also been welcomed by Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm, describing it as a "statement of intent from the Scottish Rugby" that gives the players "a real opportunity now to get ourselves in the best possible shape to compete" at the finals.